


Empire Of Dirt

by joidianne4eva



Category: Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic At The Disco
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Community: werewolfbigbang, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-09
Updated: 2012-06-09
Packaged: 2017-11-07 08:49:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/429150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joidianne4eva/pseuds/joidianne4eva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The road to true love never runs smooth, add in hormones, lies and a secret with a bite and Brendon's road to true love might need a little construction before he gets his happy ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Empire Of Dirt

**Author's Note:**

> So much thanks to my beta el_gilliath and cougars_catnip for the read through and thank you to dreamswings4 for the awesome art which can be found here http://dreamswings4.livejournal.com/839.html

Brendon wasn’t stupid no matter what Spencer Smith said, mainly because Spencer lied like he breathed…easily and without much effort, so regardless of what people said Brendon wasn't stupid. Naive, sometimes, though considering that he grew up surrounded by the walls his parents had created between him and the normal world, well any naivety he had was a given really.

But the point was Brendon knew that it was neither practical nor possible for everyone in the world to like him. Hell he got that! His old community hated him because they thought he was abandoning his values, even though they'd been the one to force the values down his throat no matter how much he complained. His old friends didn’t like him because they were jealous….ok that was a lie because truthfully his old friends were the people who he was currently in a band with so that one could be ignored. 

What Brendon didn't get though was why Ryan Ross didn’t like him. He'd confronted Spencer about it but the other man had patted him on the head and called him blind, which considering this was Spencer Smith could mean anything from "I have worked my magnificent voodoo on you and you will _be_ blind." to "You're an idiot but I love the way your sheltered life amuses me daily." Spencer was kind of evil. 

Brent claimed that Ryan didn’t like anybody but that wasn’t true either because Brendon had seen Ryan with other people like Spencer and Pete and Ryan had seemed happy and content in their company, not stiff and tense like he got whenever Brendon was around.

It probably wouldn’t have mattered if Brendon hadn't been stupid enough to fall absolutely, completely and madly in love with the man. He was still pretty sure that in some past life he'd kicked puppies or eaten the hearts of ducklings because Karma was definitely taking it out of his hide now. 

But there was little he could do about it because it was Ryan and Brendon loved everything about him. He loved the way Ryan's stupidly long fingers looked against his guitar chords, he loved how Ryan could string ordinary words into songs that made Brendon's heart feel like it was breaking every time he sang them on stage, and he loved how Ryan looked like a strong wind would carry him away like Howl in his moving castle. So yeah he really, really loved Ryan Ross but his mama had taught him that if you truly loved something you'd let it go. 

It was a good thing that Brendon had never had Ryan because he doubted he'd ever be able to let him go.

And he still really didn’t get why Ryan hated him so much. Ok, so maybe hate was too strong a word but Ryan sure as hell didn’t _like_ him. Ryan was civil to him, yes, but every time Brendon was near Ryan's forehead wrinkled like Brendon was a particularly aggravating problem that Ryan couldn’t figure out.

Then there was the way Ryan would press himself against him on stage and smile like Brendon was the brightest star in the night sky, but as soon as they stepped off it he went back to treating him like a non-entity. Brendon was pretty sure that the only reason Ryan did it was because he was trying to one-up Pete, though nobody in the world could beat Pete and Patrick's epic stage love unless they you know….actually stripped naked and screwed each other on stage.

Brendon kept that particular idea to himself because Pete was crazy competitive, and Patrick would kill him and hide the body if he ever found out that Brendon was behind his molestation.

But in all honesty Brendon had gotten used to Ryan's "not hate but not like" feelings so this, this was new and freaky in ways that Brendon really didn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole.

***O***

Brendon crept into the trailer, pausing at the door and glanced around but thankfully the only people there were Jon and Spencer. Slipping inside he slammed the door shut, ignoring Spencer's put upon sigh as he shifted the curtains and glanced out into the yard.

"Brendon, we've talked about this, the bunnies aren't out to get you again and when I find out who the hell let you have pixie sticks…" Spencer drawled and Brendon glared at him.  
"You know nothing Spencer Smith!" he protested before freezing as he realized that he hadn't checked the rooms. Schooling his face into what Jon called his "I am pretty, pet me" look he sidled closer to the door "Is Ryan around?"

"Nope he left a few minutes after you did." Jon responded moving to change the channel and pouting when Spencer slapped his hand away from the remote.

"Thank God!" Brendon exclaimed as he threw himself onto the coach narrowly missing Spencer's elbow. "I don't know how to say this…"

"If only you didn’t know how to say anything." Spencer piped up and Brendon glared at him and continued. 

"But I think Ryan is stalking me."

Jon just cocked a brow in question but Spencer began coughing like he was trying to hack up a lung, a clear indication of guilt in Brendon's eyes.

"What do you know, Smith?" Brendon demanded as he moved to straddle Spencer's hips.

"Other than the fact that the words propriety and personal space are lost on you?" Spencer sighed as he shoved Brendon off.

"Whatever I've seen you eyeing my ass, Smith. I'm telling your girlfriend if you don't fess up about Ryan."

"Brendon, blind men eye your ass. It's pretty much the ninth wonder of the world." Spencer said. 

Brendon preened for a minute before he realized that this was not the time for ass appreciation.

Flinging himself back onto Spencer Brendon grinned at Spencer's oomph of discomfort "Tell me what you know, Smith or face death by…."

"Annoyance?" Spencer gasped as he tried to shift Brendon off his ribs. 

Brendon rode out Spencer's attempt until the other man collapsed back against the coach. Glancing down he grinned "Ready to say Uncle?" Brendon taunted.

"What the hell are you doing?" 

Brendon froze and raised his head slowly only to come face to face with a very displeased Ryan, scrambling backwards the frowned at the other man.

"I wasn’t doing anything."

Ryan's eyes narrowed "Really, because that sure as hell didn’t look like nothing, Brendon. Did you think about what would happen if someone else had walked in here? We don't need that sort of attention right now." 

Brendon's cheeks flushed "Fuck you Ryan, not everybody out there is a homophobe!"

"And you think that means you can go around grinding against everybody like a slut?!" Ryan spat and Brendon flinched.

"Ryan, wait…" Spencer started but Brendon was sick of Ryan's snide remarks.

"So it's my fault that you just gravitate towards my side of the stage in every single performance? Or better yet maybe it's my fault that you're a fucking bastard!" Brendon shouted as he stood and glared at the taller man "I'm a grown man Ryan Ross and I can do or fuck whoever the hell I want without you breathing down my neck like my nanny!"

Ryan's eyes narrowed and the temperature in the trailer seemed to drop as he made a small sound "And who exactly would fuck you and I'm not talking groupies?"  
Spencer made a choked off sound as Brendon stared at Ryan in shock.

"Dude, not cool." Jon whispered and Ryan glanced away, face dark with anger.

Brendon nodded once, swallowing past the lump in his throat as he stepped back "Ok…yeah." he whispered more to himself than anybody else before turning on his heels and heading for his bunk.

"What the hell was that?!" Spencer shouted as Brendon left the room but he didn’t wait to hear Ryan's response.

Just because he loved Ryan Ross didn’t mean he couldn't hate his guts.

***O***

Brendon wasn’t angry no matter what Jon and Spencer said. He knew that Ryan’s feelings for him bordered on homicidal, he’d known that before Ryan decided to make him feel like he was the scum of the earth and he wasn’t making anyone uncomfortable by staying quiet whenever Ryan appeared, so really fuck Ryan and his melodrama! 

None of this would have happened if Ryan hadn’t taken to following him around like some psychotic stalker!

Flopping on his bunk Brendon buried his face in his pillow as he listened to the others mill around the bus. 

He wasn’t sulking, he wasn’t trying that passive aggressive bullshit that Ryan usually used and if every time he saw Ryan smile at someone else in the road crew it made Brendon’s heart clench a little; it was nobody’s business but his own.

Clutching his pillow closer he rubbed his face against its rough surface as his throat tightened at the sound of Ryan’s laughter. 

***O***

Ryan glanced at the shut door as Brendon slipped into the back. Sighing he slumped on the sofa only to turn when Spencer snorted.

“What?”

The drummer raised a brow “Don’t even start. You deserve the cold shoulder from Brendon, I would have just punched you in the face, issues or not, but unfortunately that’s not his style.” Spencer sniped.

“Don’t start, Spence. You know I didn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, I know. Does Brendon know? No.” Spencer shot back as he glared at Ryan “First you act like you couldn’t stand him from day one and then because you’re a glutton for punishment you decided somewhere in your stupid brain that insulting him equals foreplay.”

Ryan rolled his eyes as he made an aggravated sound. “I can’t just…do you know how hard it is just being around him?” he whispered.

The couch sagged as Spencer sat beside him and rustled his hair a little. “You’ve got to tell him soon Ryan, because I don’t know how much longer he’s going to just put up with this.”

“You think he’ll leave?” Ryan frowned “You said he liked me!”

“Not enough for you to keep breaking his heart.” Spencer responded and Ryan whined at the thought of the band without Brendon there, the thought of him without Brendon there. 

***O***

Ryan waited until everyone had fallen asleep before leaving his perch on the couch.

Slipping into the back he paused beside Brendon’s bed. 

The younger boy was twisted around his pillow and the scent of salt that his tears left made bile rise in Ryan’s throat. Reaching out he brushed a few strands of Brendon’s hair from his face before pulling away, staring at his hands where the dull light from the streetlamps glistened on his nails as they lengthened and curved. 

Sighing he turned away from the singer, tamping down every instinct that was screaming at him to stay. He couldn’t do that to Brendon, he couldn’t lie to him on top of everything and until he came clean he’d have to stay away and take comfort in the small moments wherever he could get them.

***O***

“Rise and shine minions, your master is here!”

Jon flailed awake as the loud voice boomed through the bus.

Spencer opened one eye as Brendon yanked his pillow over his head. “I know he got us our big break and everything but does anyone else really want to kill him?” he hissed.

“Dude, you break my heart.” Pete pouted, lounging against the door.

Ryan peeked down at them “I’d help you hide the body Spence.” He growled and Pete flipped him the bird, bouncing on his heels in excitement.

“Pete, why am I awake? It’s seven in the morning, Wentz, you told me this was an emergency.” Patrick groused as he lumbered into the room shoving Pete out of the way, to slump against Brendon’s bed.

Ryan’s eyes tracked his movement and Pete snorted. “You’re not subtle at all Ross.”

Before Ryan could retort Pete threw himself on Patrick sending them both tumbling unto Brendon’s bunk. Brendon squeaked as he struggled out from under them, frowning petulantly he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“B-den!” Pete grinned reaching out to ruffle Brendon’s hair.

“Sleep?” Jon muttered “Am I the only one who needs more sleep?”

“Sleep is for the weak, Walker, up and at ‘em.” Pete retorted as he tried to escape Patrick’s death hold and pull his singer off the bunk.

“I hate you all!” Spencer murmured, crawling back under his sheets.

Ryan shifted, locking eyes with Pete as he pressed a kiss to Brendon’s hair before pulling back to flash Ryan a grin that would have made a barracuda proud.

Ryan felt his own lips curl in response before he caught himself and turned away. He’d settle things with Brendon in his own time and he didn’t need Pete breathing down his neck to motivate him. 

***O***

When Ryan finally emerged from the shower his band mates were spread all over the living room. 

Pete was perched beside Jon and Spencer, cheering on each of them in turn as their on screen characters tried to obliterate each other.

Brendon was sprawled over Patrick’s lap, his hands gesturing wildly as he described their latest stage show to the other singer even though Ryan was sure Patrick had already seen it. 

Leaning against the door he watched Brendon’s cheeks flushed with pleasure when Patrick commented on a particularly spectacular note that he’d nailed on stage. Ryan remembered that one, he’d watched the younger boy fling himself into the music, hips swaying as sweat soaked his clothes. Brendon’s eyes had been half-lidded lips curved into a knowing smirk as he watched the audience go mad before them and the energy pulsing off the singer had almost cracked Ryan’s resolve.

He sighed aloud and Brendon’s eyes flitted to him as the other man’s voice quieted before trailing off into nothingness and Ryan tensed at the look that Patrick shot him from beneath the brim of his ever present hat.

“Hey Ross, a minute?” Pete called and Ryan shrugged before following him outside, locking away the wrenching feeling in his gut as Brendon’s eyes flashed through his head.

***O***

Pete was leaning against the FOB tour bus when Ryan emerged into the cool morning air.

“Do you know what’s in there?” the shorter man started jerking his thumb towards the bus behind him.

Ryan blinked and kept quiet because this was how Pete was, words flowed from him long before the thought that prompted them had a chance to form properly.

“This is a bus, our tour bus. Inside that bus there are two very nice and sometimes knowledgeable men who are probably, as we speak, contemplating mutiny.” Pete breathed the gleam in his eyes making Ryan’s hackles rise “Do you know why?”

“Am I actually supposed to answer?” Ryan drawled and Pete snorted.

“Nice, Baby Alpha…”

“I told you to stop calling me that!” Ryan frowned.

“I’ll stop when you stop acting like a fucking kid!” Pete snarled and Ryan could hear the dual toned tremor under his words “We just drove for two days. Two days, Ross! Because Patrick found out about whatever the hell is going on between you and Brendon.”

Ryan turned away from Pete; the other wolf’s anger was bleeding across the space that separated them like waves battering against the shore, sure and steady.

“Do I need to give you the care and feeding of singer’s handbook?” Pete growled.

“It’s none of your business Pete.”

Pete rubbed his hand across his face in frustration.

“None of my business? Did you or did you not see that back there? Brendon is….fuck I don’t even know what the hell Brendon is right now because him being quiet is not normal! And you think this isn’t my fucking business?”

“What do you want me to do?!” Ryan snarled “I want…..do you think I want things to be like this?”

“Then fix it!” Pete cut him off. 

“I can’t.” Ryan whispered.

Pete cocked his head “Ok, what the hell is going on in that head of yours Ross?”

Ryan slumped against the stairs as he ran his fingers through his hair, sending the strands spiking.

“I know that I have to tell him but what if….I’d rather Brendon hate me than be disgusted.”

“Huh,” Pete huffed as he took a seat beside Ryan “I don’t think you get it Ross, it’s either you tell him or you lose him completely.”

Ryan glanced at him curiously.

“Brendon told Patrick he wanted to take a break from the band, just for a bit at first then depending on how things work out maybe permanently.” Pete exhaled as he glanced at the pale sky.

Ryan’s throat locked even as the whine was ripped from it. Closing his eyes to stave off the pounding behind them he bit his fist. 

Brendon was going to leave…Brendon would be gone and nothing Ryan did would get him back!

“Hey, hey come on now Baby Alpha, he isn’t gone yet and we’re here to make sure he doesn’t go.” Pete murmured, nudging Ryan with his shoulder.

Ryan exhaled slowly, nodding as he allowed his senses to latch on to the familiar heartbeat that was Brendon, his Brendon. 

***O***

Ryan had spent the last two days walking on eggshells because between Patrick’s glares of death and the sorrow and confusion that seemed permanently attached to Brendon’s skin he couldn’t centre himself enough to what he knew needed to be done. His wolf had latched on to every moment of indecision, gnawing away at Ryan’s control like it was a particularly juicy bone and from the way Pete and Spencer had taken to herding him away from the others he guessed that his distress was plain for anyone to see.

And because Karma had a fucking hard-on for him the one day that he was settled enough to talk to Brendon was the day that Jon decided to let a fucking groupie onto their bus!  
Ryan walked through the door and froze, nose wrinkling at the unfamiliar scent of perfume that distorted the normal smell of home before his eyes landed on the skimpily dressed red head that was practically trying to climb Brendon like a tree.

He must have made a sound because the two spun to face him, the girl’s eyes bright with excitement while Brendon’s flickered from embarrassment to horror.

“Oh my God, Ryan Ro….”

“Get out!” Ryan interrupted and she frowned. 

“What?”

“Am I not speaking English? Get the fuck out!” he snarled taking a step towards them and the girl stumbled back, skating around him to get to the door and Brendon moved to follow.

“Not you!” Ryan snapped taking another step towards the small singer when the door slammed shut “Every fucking time, every time I think Brendon’s done it now it can’t get worse you make it worse!” Ryan choked out as he felt his wolf surge “I’m trying to…Brendon you can’t keep!”

Brendon’s eyes went wide with shock as Ryan hunched over, clutching at his stomach. “Ryan?” he whispered.

Ryan made an aborted move towards him before flinging himself back unto the coach, his fingers digging into the leather as he braced himself. “Get Pete!”

“Ryan what’s going on?” Brendon asked, taking a step towards him.

Ryan’s eyes snapped open and Brendon flinched, stumbling back at the sight of the pitch black orbs.

“Get Pete!” Ryan snarled and this time the singer didn’t pause, turning he ran for the door. A shadow had him swerving instinctively and Brendon just avoided being flattened as Ryan slammed against the door hard enough to make the entire bus rock.

Scrabbling backwards he watched in horror as the guitarist stalked towards him, lips pulled back in a smile that showed more teeth than the Jaws movies.

“Ry-Ryan you need to calm down.” Brendon stuttered, shivering as Ryan’s strange eyes flickered over him.

“Calm down?” the taller man purred, his voice distorted in the silence that had fallen over the bus “I need to calm down?” he laughed bitterly before taking another step forward “You don’t know what I need; Brendon, but I could show you.”

“Uhm no problem Ryan, I really don’t need to know.” Brendon protested, eyes darting to the door as his back hit the wall.

“No, no but you really, _really_ do,” Ryan smirked as he stepped closer “I insist.”

Brendon didn’t wait for another word, darting around the other boy he sped for the door. He’d barely made it two steps when Ryan grabbed him, lifting him off the floor completely and Brendon squeaked as the air was crushed from his lungs as Ryan’s arms wrapped around him from behind, he kicked his legs frantically but the guitarist didn’t even seem to notice when Brendon’s heels made contact with his legs.

“Let me go, Ryan!” Brendon yelled

“Why so that you can go find some other floozy to get off with?” Ryan growled and Brendon froze as he tried to see Ryan’s face.

“I wasn’t getting off with anybody, she hugged me and her fucking necklace stuck to my shirt, now get off of me!”

“Cute story.” Ryan chuckled, nails biting into Brendon’s skin. 

“Are you on drugs you fucktard? I don’t need to lie to you about who I’m getting off with; it’s none of your fucking business!” Brendon shouted, losing the small grip he’d had on his temper. 

“It could be my business.” Ryan said and Brendon stilled.

“What?” he choked out.

“Just let me Brendon, I could make you so happy, you just need to know….” Ryan trailed off and Brendon’s heart felt like it was ready to jump out of his chest. So Ryan was high and high Ryan apparently wanted to make Brendon happy…how the fuck was this his life? Spencer always said it wasn’t good to argue with crazy people so he might as well play along until someone realised that he’d been abducted…by his band mate, that he was kinda in love with….fuck his life with a rusty spoon!

“Ok, Ryan.” Brendon started, sighing when Ryan bent enough for his feet to touch the ground, ignoring what felt like sweat seeping from beneath his shirt he kept his voice calm “What do I need to know?”

“I..” 

The word had hardly left Ryan’s mouth when someone started banging on the bus door. 

Ryan’s fingers loosened and Brendon pulled away from him only to have arm grasped again.

“For fuck’s sake I’m just going to open the door!” he spat because really he’d been considerate up until now and consideration was a helluva lot more than Ryan deserved after how he’d been acting these past few days.

“I don’t want you to,” Ryan whined and yes that was definitely a whine, Brendon knew a whine and he hadn’t even known Ryan Ross was capable of making the sound. He also hadn’t thought Ryan would take drugs especially freakish drugs that made him clinging and changed his eye colour so what the hell did he know? 

“Ryan, open this fucking door before I kick it off!” Spencer yelled and Brendon could just make out Pete’s voice in the melee.

“He wouldn’t really try that would he?” Brendon asked concerned because no matter how scary Spencer seemed he was a delicate little flower on the inside, the kind that grew on cacti.

Ryan nuzzled into his neck, folding his long limbs around Brendon like a particularly demented octopus as sharp teeth raked against the skin of his neck. 

“Don’t care; I don’t want to let them in.” Ryan muttered and Brendon glared down at his hair. Only Ryan Ross was capable of switching from homicidal maniac to petulant child in the same breath and Brendon was sorely tempted to wring his neck and make him choke on said breath!

“Ryan you need to…motherfucker oww!” Brendon yelped shoving Ryan’s head off his shoulder. The guitarist allowed himself to move surprisingly easily but Brendon wasn’t focused on that, instead he gingerly touched his burning neck where he could feel the pinpricks of blood blooming against his skin” Did you just bite me!?”

“What?!” Spencer screamed “You’re a dead man Ryan Ross!”

Brendon blinked as dark spots flittered across his vision as he stared at his blood tinged fingers “I don’t…” he began as he swayed and shook his head, the last thing he saw before the dark rushed in was Ryan’s normal brown eyes filled with terror. 

***O***

**_A whimpering sound broke into the darkness of Brendon’s sleep and he rolled to get away from it but the sound seemed to be coming from everywhere. Blinking he opened his eyes and sat up, frowning when he realised he was on the floor and this definitely wasn’t the bus, he’d know the bus floor anywhere, he’d spent enough time on it to start a rather nice relationship with the thing and this, this definitely wasn’t the bus floor!_ **

**_Pushing himself to his feet Brendon grimaced as the wound on his neck throbbed. The whimpering came again, louder and much closer and Brendon turned in time to see a small boy of about six push himself off the bed that he’d failed to notice which was strange considering that he’d been right beside it._ **

**_The little boy didn’t seem to notice him as he pulled the door open. Shouting voices echoes into the room and the kid paused for a second before steeping out into the darkness.  
Brendon’s brow furrowed as he stood and followed the boy out._ **

**_The corridor was just as dark as the room had been but a flicker of light illuminated one end of it._ **

**_The kid shuffled towards the light before stilling and staring at something below._ **

**_Brendon snuck behind him, glancing down the stairs._ **

**_A woman and a man, who seemed vaguely familiar, stood at the foot of the stairs. The man’s shoulders were hunched and his head bowed as the woman glared at him._ **

**_“For Fuck’s sake, George, can’t you do anything right?” The woman snarled and the little boy shivered._ **

**_Reaching out to touch the kid Brendon gasped when his hand went right through him._ **

**_“You can’t interfere.”_ **

**_Brendon spun away from the scene in time to see, himself?_ **

**_The other Brendon glanced at him with those same pitch-black eyes that Ryan had, had before._ **

**_“I’m hallucinating, aren’t I? Fucking Ryan and his stupid contact drugs!” Brendon sighed and the Not-Brendon chuckled, the sound sent shivers down Brendon’s spine._ **

**_“You’re not hallucinating you’re sharing his memories.” It purred._ **

**_“Whose memories?” Brendon frowned._ **

**_The Not-Brendon just glanced down at the boy and Brendon copied him, taking in the brown hair and eyes, the familiar tilt of the kids head._ **

**_“Ryan?” Brendon whispered in shock but before he could say another word the world flew apart._ **

**_*O*  
Brendon blinked as the room settled. _ **

**_The man and woman from before were standing in front of the small Ryan, who seemed to be at least eleven now._ **

**_There was a bag at the woman’s feet and she wouldn’t look at the man or Ryan and Brendon’s heart clenched because he remembered that Spencer had once said Ryan’s mother had left when he was small, was this what Brendon was seeing, an actual memory of Ryan’s?_ **

**_“She chose wrong.” The Not-Brendon said as he slid from the shadows that blurred the edge of the room, stalking around the three with a curious expression on his face._ **

**_The man that must have been Ryan’s father reached out to the woman but she stepped back and snarled at him, her eyes bleeding black and Brendon swallowed hard._ **

**_“I can do better I swear, Marnie.” George whispered but the woman, Marnie just sighed._ **

**_Crouching down she stared at Ryan and even then Ryan had that blank look that drove Brendon crazy, the one that made him seem untouchable and aloft._ **

**_“Do you know why I have to do this, Ryan?” she whispered and Ryan nodded sharply._ **

**_“Dad’s not your beta.” He responded voice as cold as the look on his face._ **

**_George made a faint sound then, as he clenched his hands tightly together “I co-could, I could be, Marnie, just please.” He begged._ **

**_Marnie’s head bowed and Brendon watched as glistening tears fell past the shroud of her hair, turning brown as they hit the ground._ **

**_“I’m sorry, George.” She whispered before wiping her eyes with the back of her palm. Taking a deep breath she glanced up at Ryan “Do you understand?”_ **

**_“You chose wrong and now you have to leave.” Ryan said and Marnie flinched but nodded._ **

**_“But you could come with me.” She offered voice hopeful as she gripped Ryan’s hand “You’re an alpha and you could come with me, any pack would accept you.”_ **

**_Ryan stepped back pulling his small hand from her grip “You chose wrong.” He repeated as he pulled his dad’s hands apart and wrapped his fingers around them, George stared down at him in awe but Ryan’s eyes were glued to his mother’s face “You chose wrong, Mom but dad didn’t get a choice and I…I’m choosing Dad.”_ **

**_The Not-Brendon cackled at the stunned look on Marnie’s face. “Our Ryan was always a special one.” He grinned._ **

**_“What did she mean by pack and what the hell is wrong with everyone’s eyes?” Brendon whispered, his eyes still glued to the scene as Marnie stood and walked away without another word to her son._ **

**_Not-Brendon’s grin widened, “You’ll learn,” he teased as he watched Marnie blur and vanish as the room faded “You’ll learn soon enough.”_ **

***O***

The next time Brendon woke, he was lying in a familiar bunk. Twisting he blinked when all he could make out was a blur before his face. A second later the blur pulled back enough for him to recognize Pete’s frowning face.

“I just had the strangest dream.” Brendon groaned as Pete continued to watch him in silence. “Ryan bit me and then there was little Ryan who was pretty cute and a freaky me with those strange eyes who wasn’t so cute,” Brendon frowned “And they kept saying silly things about packs and alphas. Stupid, huh?” he grinned

When Pete’s frown grew, Brendon’s eyes narrowed “Tell me it was a dream Pete because I swear to God if I’ve had a chunk taken out of me by Ryan fucking Ross, I will kill him then bring his skinny ass back so I can kill him again.”

“Okay, B-den it’s time for a few home truths” Pete sighed as he ran a hand through his hair “I shouldn’t even be the one telling you this but Spencer’s told Jon and I’m pretty sure that Patrick will legitimately murder Ryan if he even thinks of coming in here and I really like my singer, ok? He gives me orgasms and makes me laugh and I don’t think I could survive on conjugal visits once a week….” Pete rambled before pausing and taking a breath “Right this is going to sound weird and probably fucking insane but like you said Ryan bit you, can’t get much stranger than that can it?”

“Pete…” Brendon warned and Pete flinched guiltily.

“Ok, ok.” He muttered “Right so you know the Little Red Riding Hood story?” he asked and Brendon nodded warily.

“Total lies because seriously why the hell would a wolf go after some kid in the forest? Have you seen kids? The little fuckers are always hyped up on sugar, it’d be like diabetes waiting to happen, not to mention she was dressed in red! Who the hell sends their kid through a forest in red? It’s like dropping blood in the water and yelling to every shark that there’s an all you can eat buffet, not that the wolf ate her or anything but if he had who the hell would blame him?” 

Brendon blinked “Did that make sense in your head?”

Pete wrinkled his nose “A bit.” He admitted “But that’s not what you need to know.”

“Considering that all I got from that was don’t wear red or eat kids, I’d count that as a good thing.” Brendon quipped and Pete grinned.

“Look at you, being all snappy. I like it.” 

Brendon’s eyes narrowed and Pete held up his hands in surrender “Alright, so Ryan and I are kind of like the wolf, just without the bad reputation and truly sucky estate agent because really the middle of a forest doesn’t sound like suburbia heaven to me but who the hell knows what they were into back then?

“You eat little kids?” Brendon sputtered “The fuck, Wentz?”

Pete shook his head “No we have a…” he trailed off again glancing towards the closed door. “Have you seen wolf man?”

Brendon nodded slowly.

“Right so Ryan and I are like the creepy old guy who no one suspected but it was him you know.”

“No, I really don’t know, Pete would you just spit it out?” Brendon snapped

“We’re werewolves.” Pete whispered and Brendon stared at him for a moment before his lips twitched.

“You what?” he snickered “I hate you. Here I am thinking Ryan’s had a breakdown and you’re joking about werewolves and what Spencer’s the tooth fairy?” Brendon chuckled, frowning when Pete just kept staring at him like he didn’t see anything wrong with what he’d said, like he believed that…..well fuck!

“Pete, Peter Wentz, there is no such thing as werewolves, they’re like the boogie man that parents tell their kids about because all parents are secretly psychopaths, and they’re not fucking real, ok?” Brendon whispered.

Pete sighed before holding out his hands and Brendon stared down at his chipped nail-polish before glancing at Pete’s face “What?”

Pete turned his hands over so they were palms up “See, no paint not hair nothing ok?” he said and Brendon nodded warily. “Right, watch.”

Brendon stared at Pete’s hands as they shook and he made a mental note to tell Patrick to hide the sugar though in hindsight that probably wasn’t a good idea since it might give Spencer ideas.

Then something moved beneath Pete’s skin and Brendon almost fell off the bed in shock.

“What the fuck was that?!” he cried as the thing moved again making Pete’s skin ripple like a disturbed water bed, then hair started appearing first in small patched before cascading from Pete’s wrist to his nails that were growing an curving like something out of a bad B-movie.

Brendon’s eyes darted to Pete’s face taking in the strange, yet familiar pitch black eyes before he glanced back at Pete’s now human hands.

“That was real.” He whispered and Pete nodded “The thing with your eyes?”

“It’s the wolf.” Pete shrugged, like it was nothing, like Brendon’s whole fucking life hadn’t just been turned on its head because Pete Wentz was a werewolf, Ryan was a werewolf, Ryan had bitten…

“I’m going to fucking kill him?!” Brendon snarled as he flung himself from the bunk, almost collapsing as his knees buckled beneath him, he felt Pete's arms around him as the world faded black. 

**_*O*_ **

**_The next time he woke he was lying on the ground again, staring up into his own face._ **

**_"You're back." Not-Brendon grinned as Brendon shoved him away and sat up._ **

**_"And you're still here." Brendon frowned, glancing around the room he took in the empty bottles and George slumped in front of the television. "So Pete says Ryan's a werewolf."_ **

**_"A wolf." Not-Brendon corrected him as he perched beside George, pupil-less eyes focused eerily on the man and Brendon shivered because even if George couldn’t see him that was creepy and a clear invasion of personal space._ **

**_"A werewolf." Brendon repeated, placing extreme emphasis on the were part because if his other-self was going to be snippy two could play that game and Brendon was the King of the Snippy people._ **

**_"So Ryan's a werewolf and you're what, my personal jiminy cricket?" he asked as he glanced around the room for Ryan._ **

**_The other-him didn’t respond. Instead he cocked his head and stared at him._ **

**_"What?" Brendon snapped._ **

**_"You're strange." Other-Brendon grinned before shifting to stare at the door._ **

**_"I'm strange?" Brendon spluttered "Coming from you, that is a compliment since strange for you would be normal for anyone else."_ **

**_Not-Brendon didn’t respond, eyes still glued to the door and Brendon turned to see what his other-self had found so captivating._ **

**_As he watched the front door opened quietly and a teenaged boy ambled inside, shutting the door quietly behind him._ **

**_Brendon stared at the familiar face in awe._ **

**_Ryan’s long limbs weren’t as graceful as Brendon was used to but there was a hint of something feral, almost predatory, in the way the teen moved and Brendon wasn’t sure how he’d missed it before._ **

**_Ryan sighed as he took in the empty beer bottles spread across the living room floor. Dropping his bag he grabbed he walked over to where George was slumped._ **

**_“Dad,” he whispered, smiling softly as George’s blurry eyes opened “Hey, you ok?”_ **

**_“Ryan.” George’s voice was a bitter husk of what it had been the last time Brendon was here and it made his heart ache for this too young Ryan that had probably raised himself. “You came back.”_ **

**_Ryan nodded “I promised I would remember.”_ **

**_George’s fingers trailed through Ryan’s hair once before falling to the armrest “So did your mom.”_ **

**_Ryan flinched, teeth gritting so hard that Brendon could hear it from where he stood. “I’m not my mom, Dad.” He sighed as he got to his feet and started collecting the bottles.  
Brendon stared after him; this strange version of Ryan made his heart ache. The Ryan he knew had never worn his emotions on his sleeve like this, never cared so deeply._ **

**_“No you aren’t.” George agreed as his head lulled against the chair’s backrest “But you’re an alpha, no alpha wants to stick around with a damaged beta.”_ **

**_“No alpha should just run off without even trying to fix….” Ryan trailed off; fingers clenched around the neck of the bottle in his hand “I’m sorry.”_ **

**_“Don’t be.” George responded “I know Marnie was wrong but I….” he paused as he tugged at the robe covering him and Brendon’s eyes widened at the red marks lining the older man’s wrists._ **

**_“Restraints.” Not-Brendon said, answering Brendon’s unasked question “A beta whose alpha has cast him aside would never willing stay alive, even for a child.”_ **

**_“Ryan, never said….” Brendon started_ **

**_“And that’s why you’re here.” Not-Brendon smirked “To learn the things that Ryan has never said.”_ **

**_Ryan circled the chair, dropping the bottles into the bin before resettling George’s blanket over his legs._ **

**_“Have you been writing?” George asked, his blurry eyes watching curiously as Ryan crossed the room to drop down into the chair opposite him._ **

**_Ryan shrugged “It’s just scribbles.”_ **

**_“Scribbles.” George snorted “I’ve seen your scribbles and there a helluva lot better than any scribbling I’ve ever done.”_ **

**_Ryan ducked his head, a pale blush streaking across his cheeks and Brendon’s fingers itched to touch him. He’d know this Ryan, had been introduced to him by Brent but he’d never once guessed everything Ryan kept hidden._ **

**_“We’ve got a new band mate.” Ryan whispered as his ears tinged pink and George squinted at him in amusement._ **

**_“Must be the best band mate ever if they’re making you look like a tomato.” George chuckled and Brendon blinked in surprise as Ryan smirked._ **

**_“He’s pretty.” He admitted._ **

**_George laughed as the room twisted from beneath Brendon’s feet._ **

**_*O*_ **

The dim light from a window was the thing that woke him next. Groaning Brendon rolled onto his side before opening his eyes slowly. The sight of his scribble on the wall made him sigh as he realized that he was actually awake this time.

The sound of the door opening caught Brendon’s attention, turning his head he froze when his eyes met Ryan’s.

The other man was shifting nervously in the doorway and for a second all Brendon could see was little Ryan taking George’s hand, not leaving his father even when his mother gave him the choice.

Turning fully Brendon watched him “You do know you can come in, right? I don’t bite.”

Ryan flinched at the words and the sadistic part of Brendon’s mind chortled with glee at the reaction because it was a bit late for Ryan to be acting innocent, the horse had long bolted from that paddock and the gate was still waving in the wind as far as Brendon was concerned.

Ryan glanced away as he shut the door behind him. “I didn’t mean to do it.” He whispered, back still turned to Brendon.

Brendon let his eyes close. What was he supposed to say to that? Maybe “It’s all good, Ryan. It’s not like you fucking infected me with some sort of hallucinogenic, because I’m still clinging to the hope that it is a hallucinogenic and that this whole thing is one big messed up dream!”

“Right now, you’re probably my least favourite person, Ross.” Brendon gritted out as he pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. 

Ryan turned then, his eyes sad “I know.” He whispered “I know I’ve been a dick to you but this thing, Brendon, that was me, it wasn’t the me you’re used to but…” he sighed, slumping against the door. “How much has Pete told you?”

“Something about Red Riding Hood.” Brendon responded as he shifted nervously remembering the thing that had crawled beneath Pete’s skin.

“Right.” Ryan nodded before glancing at the bed again. Brendon looked so small just lying there and the wolf ever present in his mind could smell the scent of Ryan still clinging to singer’s skin and it made him want to…. Shaking his head Ryan dragged his thoughts from that path, because there was no way that Brendon was going to let Ryan get anywhere near him. “The story is supposed to explain what you keep seeing when you’re…” he paused trying to think of the best word “mind walking.”

Brendon’s eyes shot open “Mind walking?”

Ryan nodded “You’ve probably been seeing things, things that you shouldn’t know, things that you couldn’t know, right?”

Brendon turned his head away without answering and Ryan clenched his fingers as his wolf raged. Taking a deep breath he continued “It’s because you’re mind walking. Through my mind, you’re seeing things that I saw, stuff I never wanted anyone else to know about.”

“It’s not like I asked for this!” Brendon frowned.

“You didn’t ask….” Ryan trailed off when he felt his muscles shifting beneath his skin “You fucking flaunted yourself around like some piece of…”

“So that gave you the right to fuck with my life?” Brendon spat, sitting up shakily “I didn’t want this, I don’t want this!”

Ryan shut his eyes as his wolf clambered at him before turning “Maybe I was wrong then.” He whispered as he opened the door and stepped through it.

Brendon stared at the shut door for a moment before pushing himself off the bed. Pausing to catch his bearings he stumbled across the room, slumping against the wall before pulling the door open.

Ryan was lying on the sofa, eyes glued to Brendon’s face as he stumbled into the room.

“You don’t get to do that, Ryan.” Brendon said, ignoring the way his limbs were shaking because he needed to know what was real. He needed to know if the Ryan in his head and the Ryan in front of him was the same person. 

Ryan frowned and stood but Brendon shook his head, holding his hand up to stave the other man off. 

Ryan paused and watched him warily and Brendon wanted to laugh because if anyone should be wary it was him!

“Your dad was a…” Brendon tailed off, not wanting to say the word because saying it made it real, saying it meant he accepted the fact that inside his skin live some monster straight out of a horror story and Ryan Ross had intentionally put it there.

“Born wolfs are always alphas.” Ryan said as he settled on the arm of the sofa. “It’s because the gene is dominant, so we find humans with the recessive wolf gene and they’re our betas. Each Alpha has one specific beta and they usually court them before asking them to accept the bite.”

“But you didn’t.” Brendon pointed out.

“How much of the thing with my dad did you see?” Ryan whispered

“Just bits and pieces up until your mom left.” Brendon answered, shuffling across the room to sit on the empty couch.

Ryan exhaled slowly as he glanced up at the ceiling. "Some wolves make mistakes..." he began 

"Like your mom?" Brendon queried, frowning as he curled around the sofa cushion and watched Ryan.

"Yeah, like her." Ryan admitted, lips twisted like he was tasting something foul and Brendon understood, maybe not fully, but he remembered that broken look on George's face as Marnie asked Ryan to come with her and then the way the man had all but folded in on himself when Ryan's mother turned her back on them.

"It's bad for the alphas that do it. No pack will take them in without trials; the other packs think they're not right." Ryan shrugged "and honestly they're probably right. There was no way that she didn’t know that my dad wasn't her beta from the start but apparently she thought she could fix it or that's what she told him."

"You make it sound like it's impossible." Brendon whispered and Ryan chuckled bitterly.

"There's one beta for any wolf, what she did was almost break my dad by forcing him to be her beta even though she knew she was stealing him from his rightful alpha." Ryan growled "She was fucking selfish and when she left...it was hard for us."

"And you thought doing the same thing, passing this thing on to me was a good idea?" Brendon frowned as a familiar anger clawed at his mind, foreign yet so right.

"You think I just chose to do that?!" Ryan shot back with a glare "I fought against it, fought against wanting you until the wolf almost fucking turned on itself in confusion. It didn't get why I didn't want what it did, why I wouldn't give it what it wanted and you think I just bit you because what? You think I want you to suffer through the same thing my dad did?" 

Brendon could feel his muscles coiling as Ryan stood and strode across the room, pausing in front of him "You're mine Brendon."

"I'm not your property!" Brendon shouted as he rose to his feet. "You don't just claim me, I'm not one of you, I won't be something like that!"

Ryan's eyes darkened as he stepped closer, crowding Brendon against the couch and for a second a sliver of fear raced up Brendon's spine before he tamped it down.

Ryan's nostrils flared and the look on his face made something twitch beneath Brendon's skin. 

"You don't get it do you?" Ryan whispered, lips curled in a snarl as he ran his fingers lightly against Brendon's skin. "I tried Brendon but this, this is permanent. You're mine and the sooner you accept that the better it'll be for both of us." 

Brendon froze as the heat from Ryan's touch coiled deep in his gut but before he could respond the door flew open and Pete and Patrick froze in the doorway.

Patrick's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene and Ryan took a slow step away from Brendon like he hadn't been caught harassing his band mate.

Brendon took the moment for the distraction it was, fleeing the room just when the shouting started.

***O***

By the time Brendon worked up the courage to leave his bunk again, it was dark outside and the bus was quiet though he could hear the TV going so he knew he wasn't completely alone.

Cracking the door open he glanced out into the room. If Ryan was the only one there Brendon was going to barricade himself in the room because he wasn't all that certain about which rumours about werewolves were true and he wasn’t about to run the risk of being mauled just because he was hungry.

Peeking through the space he sighed when he caught sight of Patrick's familiar hat over the top of the couch until he remembered that Pete was a wolf and if the way the two of them hung over each other on stage was any indication then Patrick probably was one as well.

"You know, I can hear you breathing." Patrick chuckled softly and Brendon did not scream...he might have jumped a little but he definitely didn’t scream. 

"I can probably hear you thinking as well." Patrick added and Brendon decided that there was no way Patrick was going to eat him. If nothing else he was probably too stringy to make a full meal for a baby werewolf much less a fully grown one. Come to think of it what did one call a baby werewolf? 

"Brendon, would you stop hiding out like some sort of pervert? I expect that behaviour from Pete and I frown on it when it comes from anyone else because it tells me that he's infecting the rest of the bands even though I keep him on a short leash."

Brendon shuffled into the room "I wasn't being a pervert." he protested and Patrick turned his head to smile at him.

"I know, you were probably just trying to figure out if I was going to eat you and no offense Brendon but you aren't even a mouthful."

"I am too a mouthful!" Brendon spluttered before frowning as he realized how his words probably sounded "I didn't mean for that to sound as dirty as it did, by the way." he huffed as he collapsed unto the other couch and Patrick just nodded sagely before pushing a plate of half eaten fries towards him.

Brendon took them gratefully and eyed Patrick as he nibbled on one "So are you going to give me your version of werewolf 101, because to be honest I haven't really learned much beyond the fact that Pete has an unhealthy obsession with fairytales and Ryan is apparently an even bigger dick than I thought."

Patrick wrinkled his nose as he tugged on the brim of his cap "I keep telling Pete to quit trying to tell people that damn story. It freaked Gerard out so much he banned all food that had once been woodland creatures because he thought the moral of it was that there were more were-creatures than anyone understood and the huntsman was a metaphor for all the things wrong with the world.”

Brendon frowned in confusion and Patrick shook his head, “Don’t ask. Frank wasn’t amused either, especially not after Mikey decided that the only way to fix it was to go out and get the movie for Gerard to watch”

"Who told Mikey?" Brendon asked as he settled in.

"Pete did, it's standard protocol before anyone gets bitten."" Patrick explained.

Brendon's eyes widened "Frank's with Gerard and Mikey?"

"The less you think about that the better." Patrick advised him "Seriously, unless someone mentions it I block it out and just think of them as Gerard'N'Mikey and Frank, perfectly normal."

"You just made Gerard and Mikey into one person." Brendon pointed out "They're not...one person, I mean."

Patrick's lips twisted "I don’t like to think about it like that. If I do Pete wins and I can't accept that Brendon I can’t."

Brendon nodded slowly. "Right....so you were going to explain, this thing to me?"

Patrick straightened in his seat "Ok, here's the thing once upon a time...."

"You said you wouldn't use the story!" Brendon protested 

"I'm not, now shut it and listen." Patrick retorted, eyeing Brendon until he nodded "Ok, at some point back whenever, I'm not sure of the details so work with me here, the wolf population and the pure human population were pretty much the same but that's only because they kept the betas away from the humans even before they got turned. Now some time back then one of their leaders decided integration was the way to go since a couple of rogues had given the whole wolf thing a pretty bad vibe."

"So, they did eat people!" Brendon cried, gripping his plate of chips in horror.

"Less eat and more like tear them to pieces." Patrick corrected him.

"But I don't want to tear anybody to pieces,"

Patrick's eyes narrowed "Well it's a good thing you're not a rogue then because your other rogue buddies would probably laugh you out of their club." He back sassed

"Don't take that tone with me, Patrick Stump!" Brendon protested "I'm having a traumatic experience here!"

"I should've let Mikey explain this." Patrick sighed.

"I thought we weren't talking about the single entity that was Mikey and Gerard." Brendon pointed out helpfully.

"Brendon?"

"Yes," Brendon responded.

"Shut up and listen to the damn story!"

"There's no need to get testy, Patrick." Brendon placated before gesturing for the other singer to continue. 

"Right," Patrick breathed "So they integrated and most of the betas forget about the old ways, raised their kids like human you know and as far as everyone cared the wolves just vanished. Until Red Riding Hood and the Grimm brothers decided to stir it all up again."

"So Red was what a wolf?" Brendon frowned

"She was a beta, the wolf was her alpha. The stories don't tell that after the wolf got killed Little Red lost her fucking mind because the bond between an alpha and a beta is not something to mess with." Patrick growled.

"And the memories?" Brendon whispered as bile rose in his throat remembering George, he'd known Marnie was alive and that had been bad, but how much worse could it have been if she'd died? "Did she see those too?"

"We all see those." Patrick admitted "I think in a way that probably made the whole thing worse because he was there in her head you know, every memory every touch was right there but there was no way for her to actually have him." 

Brendon nodded "So you saw Pete's memories?"

Patrick grinned "Yeah, it helps with the whole blackmailing him into acting like an actual human being thing."

Brendon slumped against the couch cushions "But Pete asked you right, I mean he courted you and asked? He didn’t just pull the fucking rug from under your feet and he didn’t act like you were the worst piece of scum in existence until he was ready to ruin your life, right?" Brendon whispered harshly

"No, he didn't and Ryan's got a lot to make up for." Patrick responded "But Brendon for his wolf to take control of his human body that means he wanted you more than he wanted anything, ever." 

"Yeah he had a nice way of showing it." Brendon spat as he slammed the plate back unto the table before stumbling to his feet.

"It's a lot to take in, I know but when this thing is done right, it's so fucking perfect Brendon you wouldn't believe it."  
Brendon's shoulders twitched at the awe in Patrick's voice.

"Yeah, I get that but for the past few hours I've had firsthand experience of what happens if it goes wrong." Brendon chuckled bitterly remembering the pain in George's eyes, the way the man seemed to slip further and further away from reality with every passing day. 

Turning he met Patrick's worried eyes "I don't want to be that person, Patrick, and Ryan's taken the choice out of my hands, do you get that? I can't even say no because there's nothing to say no to anymore."

Patrick rose to his feet and Brendon held still as the other singer wrapped his arms around him "There's more to being a wolf than just mate bonds." Patrick whispered, ignoring the scent of salt rafting from the young man in his arms "You get pack, you get family and me and Pete, we aren't going anywhere until this whole thing is sorted, ok?"  
"OK." Brendon sniffed.

***O***

"Mikey get Frank away from my books!" the familiar voice shattered the silence that had settled over the bus and Brendon glanced over Patrick's shoulder as the door opened and Frank sprinted inside slamming it behind him.

Frank stared at them, wide eyed "Nobody saw me." he whispered.

"We can hear you dickwad, we're on the other side of the damn door." Mikey yelled.

"Frank don't change my lyrics again, you know I don't like when you write in my book." Gerard complained.

"I wrote in your book all night long, baby." Frank leered as the door shook.

"Shut the fuck up, Franky and give him the damn book back!" Mikey demanded.

Patrick swiped a hand across his face before tugging on the brim of his cap. "Why are you three here?"

"Pete said there was a fire." Mikey deadpanned as he finally shoved into the bus, sending Frank tumbling, grabbing the book his alpha was clutching Mikey passed it back to Gerard who beamed at him.

"Sometimes I ask myself why I like you Mikey Way," Frank huffed.

Mikey just glared down at him, stepping over his prone form. "How are you doing Brendon? Need me to cut Ryan's dick off for you?"

"Mikey, you promised no violence," Gerard reminded him as he pulled Frank up off the floor. As soon as he was upright the shorter man draped himself over the singer like a limpet. 

Mikey waved him off as he glanced at Brendon "Seriously, how are you doing?"

Brendon shrugged "I'm taking it all in, I think?"

"That's fucked up shit." Frank muttered from where his nose was buried in Gerard's neck "I mean I get what Ryan was thinking, being an alpha and all, but letting it get to the point where his wolf would take over? That means that he's been tiptoeing around this shit for ages."

Gerard sighed "Has he said anything to you?"

"Other than claiming that I was his property, you mean?" Brendon huffed. 

"He needs to get his head out of his ass," Mikey growled and Brendon froze because he was in a room full of werewolves, he was officially in an alternate reality, he'd probably walk outside and the moon would have a smiley face drawn on it.

"I don't think you guys are helping." Patrick pointed out as Brendon's breathing escalated.

"Are you hyperventilating, Brendon?" Gerard asked softly as he slid out of Frank's embrace to brush his fingers through Brendon's hair.

"Of course he's hyperventilating, G!" Frank yelled and Brendon closed his eyes as the room started spinning.

"Does anyone have first aid training?" Gerard asked

"Why the hell do we need first aid training he's a werewolf, he'll heal anything he breaks." Mikey snarked.

"Not if he breaks his brain, he won't." Patrick mused.

Brendon choked….on air as his eyes flew open. "What did you just say?"

"Don't worry B-den, we won't let you break your mind." Frank assured him.

"Not that part!" Brendon spluttered, grabbing Mikey's sleeve "What did you say?"

"I'll be saying you're a dumbass in a second if that makes you feel better." Mikey quipped as Brendon slid to the floor.

Patrick knelt beside him "Brendon, what's the matter?"

"I'm a fucking werewolf!" Brendon cried "next thing you know I'll be howling at the moon and trying to pee on the furniture and I'll have to get neutered. I like my dick, ok? I haven't used it all that much and it would be a waste to get rid of it so soon."

"Technically they don't actually cut your dick off, just your testes." Gerard offered up.

Brendon stared at him in horror.

"I don't think that helped." Mikey remarked eyeing Brendon's expression. 

"Do I even want to know what's going on here?" a familiar voice asked from the doorway and Brendon's head shot up.

"Spencer!" he cried as Jon appeared next to the drummer. Scrambling to his feet Brendon threw himself onto his band mates. "Somebody tell me this was all a bad dream and that Ryan's normal and I'm not a werewolf."

"Ryan's normal and you're not a werewolf." Spencer deadpanned. 

"Really?" Brendon whispered.

"No." Spencer responded blandly, pulling Brendon off Jon and shoving him down unto the sofa. "I knew I should have explained this to you, leaving you with these nutjobs just increases the insanity output by at least seventy per cent, sixty nine per cent of which is probably Frank, Mikey and Gerard's fault."

"Hey!" Gerard protested.

"You said sixty nine, dude." Frank snickered and Mikey just rubbed a hand across his face in frustration.

"Look this whole situation is highly fucked up but here are the basics. Ryan, Pete and Frank are born wolves, Patrick, Mikey, Gerard and you are betas. Ryan screwed up by biting you without asking and knowing him, he's probably still screwing up." Spencer explained "Now you're a werewolf like it or not and Ryan's your alpha, that's the bit you should definitely like since he's essentially tied his stupid ass to you…."

"Without asking him, what is romance without choice?!" Gerard called out and Spencer glared at him over Brendon's shoulder.

"We've already gone over the Ryan's an idiot part of today's programme." Spencer shot back before turning to Brendon "Now here's the thing, nobody will blame you for being pissed off, hell most of them are pissed off for you but Ryan needs you Brendon. An alpha without their beta is just as bad as a beta that's bound to the wrong alpha." Spencer shot him a knowing look "So hate Ryan, make him take you out on dates to the countryside where there's grass and burn his make-up…."

"What's wrong with the make-up?" Frank whispered but everyone ignored him. 

"Do everything you know he hates but just….give him a chance, ok? This may not be the way you wanted things to go but it's an opportunity that you shouldn’t waste."  
Brendon stared into Spencer's eyes and swallowed before glancing down at his hands. "But I'm a werewolf, Spence. I can't… what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Kick his ass." Mikey said "Just because they're alphas doesn’t make them better than us, do you think we let Frank get away with half the shit you guys used to put up with?"

"Hey!" Frank protested "Gerard lets me do stuff."

"Gerard is so gone over your dick that he'd let you walk down the street naked." Mikey shot back.

Gerard just eyed the two of them as he scribbled in his book.

"I'm pretty sure Ryan won't be trying anything like that after the chewing out that he got from Pete and Frank." Spencer pointed out.

***O***

By the time Ryan got back to the bus all of the others were in bed. At first he'd been pissed at Pete and then Frank when they kept him away from Brendon, away from his beta like they had the right to stop Ryan from claiming Brendon, the singer was his and that had been the only thought in Ryan's head as he'd snarled and yelled at the other Alphas but finally he'd realized what they were trying to tell him. He couldn’t force Brendon to be his no matter what his wolf wanted. Brendon was already terrified of him and Ryan couldn't blame him for that, hell if Brendon had been raised in a wolf home they’d be baying for Ryan's blood by now!

His nose twitched as he opened the door and stepped into the bus. He could smell the other wolves and Jon and Spencer but above all that was the musky scent that was Brendon in Ryan's head and he followed it as it twisted around the bus trailing off at the door that led to the bunks.

Slipping into the room Ryan glanced over at where Spencer and Jon were sleeping, staying still to make sure that he hadn't disturbed them before he stepped closer to where Brendon was huddled beneath the sheets, limbs twitching like he was chasing rabbits in his sleep and Ryan smiled softly as he pulled the covers down over Brendon's leg where he'd kicked them off.

Biting his lip he glanced around nervously before tucking the small box of chocolates, which he'd purchased, at the far corner of Brendon's bunk.  
Pete had been right, he needed Brendon and that meant wooing the other man. 

Reaching out Ryan brushed Brendon's fringe away from his face. He would make Brendon see that Ryan had done the right thing, Brendon was meant to be his beta and Ryan was going to be the best alpha Brendon could ever find. Now all he had to do was convince Brendon to give him another chance. 

***O***

Brendon yawned and stretched, freezing when his fingers brushed against something that definitely hadn't been there last night. Spencer had threatened him enough times with the threat of finger nibbling rats that Brendon had taken to meticulously cleaning his bed before he fell asleep at night.

Rolling onto his side he frowned at the chocolate bar lying innocently on the dark sheets. Lifting it up Brendon turned it over slowly. This was definitely not his! Ryan was the only person who bought Godiva chocolates, partially because the others couldn't be asked to hunt down where to buy the particular brand and the fact that they had been banned after what was known as the Great Brendon Sugar Rush.

Biting his lip uncertainly Brendon glanced around the room but Spencer and Jon were still asleep and they had come in with Brendon the night before so that meant that the only person who might have placed the chocolates there was Ryan.

Slipping from his bunk, Brendon peeked up over the edge of Ryan's but the other man was nowhere to be seen even though his bed was rumpled and still warm against Brendon's fingers as he brushed them across the satin sheets, another of Ryan's indulgences.

Heading for the hall, chocolate bar still clutched in his hand, Brendon froze when he almost ran straight into Ryan.

The guitarist flinched back like he'd been burned and Brendon frowned, if anyone should be terrified here it was him. He was the one who was going to turn into a freaking wolf the next full moon and he was the one that's just had his life upended so really the shocked look on Ryan's face was about as right as Spencer’s Tofurky, which was, as far as Brendon was concerned, a crime against nature.

"Uhm, hi." Ryan greeted, eyeing Brendon like he was particularly skittish breed of Pokémon that would go prancing into the woods at the smallest disturbance and while Brendon hadn't been the sanest person for the past few hours it wasn't his fault since he hadn't expected to get shoved down the rabbit hole, Alice style.

"Ryan..." Brendon started

"Before you say anything, just I know I screwed up ok? Spencer yelled at me, Pete's yelled at me and Frank has threatened to sic Mikey on me, so I know that I really fucked up this time around." Ryan blurted out and Brendon blinked slowly.

"Ok?"

"So I was thinking we could...talk maybe? And I promise I'll explain it all this time, just talk for a bit, right here if you want to?" Ryan suggested, brown eyes wide and innocent in a way that made Brendon's gut clench even though he knew he should be angry at Ryan.

"You're going to tell me why you bit me now, like I didn't have the right to know before?" Brendon asked incredulously as his fingers clenched around the chocolate bar. "And what you think I'm going to just say "Thank you, Ryan for deciding to explain why you felt the need to fuck with my life?" Is that it?"  
Ryan stared blankly at him and Brendon bit his lip hard as an unfamiliar sensation rolled up his spine. "You know what Ryan Ross, fuck you!" he spat, spinning on his heels and marching back into the bunk room making sure to slam the door behind him before flinging himself onto his bed.

**_*O*_ **

**_Brendon opened his eyes slowly, groaning at the sight of the now familiar white walls._ **

**_"You're back again." Not-Brendon greeted from his perch, on what Brendon guessed was still Ryan's bed._ **

**_"And you're still here." Brendon replied glancing around the room. "So what great and shocking thing am I supposed to see today?"_ **

**_Not-Brendon's lips curled into a dark smile as he stood "You've talked to our Ryan." he mused sniffing the air and Brendon resisted the urge to step back from his doppelganger._ **

**_"It's not like I can avoid talking to Ryan, he's part of the band and also not our Ryan, he’s not my anything!" Brendon reminded him but Not-Brendon just shook his head and turned away, opening the door and slipping out into the hall, "Hey! Where the hell are you going now?!" Brendon called scrambling to his feet and following the other man out the door._ **

**_Not-Brendon didn't respond as he led them outside and around the side of the house, pausing at a small shed before stepping inside._ **

**_"Fuck!" Brendon spat glancing nervously around the dark yard; the only light on the property came from the full moon over head. He could just turn around, walk straight back into the house and wait to wake up. He could leave his freaky other self to whatever craziness he'd decided on but a part of Brendon knew that he needed to follow the other him if he wanted to get out of this particular memory._ **

**_Sighing he gritted his teeth as he stepped into the dark shed. Brendon blinked as his eyes adjusted to the oppressive darkness around him. At the back of the shed the tool wall had been shoved to the side revealing a small trap door. Glancing behind him nervously Brendon took a step closer to the thing, lowering himself to the floor before peering into the opening._ **

**_Inside the room a small light illuminated two large cages and Brendon swallowed hard as he made out Ryan's form hunched in on himself. The other cage was empty and Brendon glanced around the room nervously even though he knew that he couldn't interact with anything here or be hurt by them since technically he'd never existed within this memory, he was just an observer yet that didn't stop the hairs on his nape from rising as Ryan groaned._ **

**_"It hurts him." Not-Brendon whispered from where he was crouched by Ryan's bent frame, dark eyes meeting Brendon's accusingly, like Ryan's pain was somehow his fault.  
"Wh-what's he doing?" Brendon whispered, even though he knew what was happening, Ryan was a wolf and it was a full moon, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where this was going!_ **

**_"He's trying to fight it." Not-Brendon whined, a discordant tone like a bad guitar rift humming beneath his voice._ **

**_"Fight changing into a werewolf? I thought he was born that way, shouldn’t he be at peace with the world right now?"_ **

**_Not-Brendon shook his head as Ryan's body jerked "He's fighting the wolf because of you."_ **

**_"Me? I haven't done anything!" Brendon spluttered._ **

**_Ryan's head turned towards him and for a second Brendon thought those obsidian eyes were focused on him and his breath stuttered in his chest but Ryan turned away, lumbering to his feet before gripping the cage bars._ **

**_Not-Brendon copied the move, resting his hands on Ryan's clenched ones. "The wolf wants to claim you but our Ryan; he thinks it’s too soon." Not-Brendon whispered as Ryan hung his head, whimpering as his entire form rippled and Brendon gagged as he watched the skin on Ryan's arm split open, dark fur spreading across the pale like a distorted waterfall._ **

**_Ryan's nails clacked against the bars as they grew and curved, his spine cracking as he threw his head back and howled._ **

**_Beside him Not-Brendon raised his head and Brendon flinched back as he watched his own face distort, jaw jutting out as the slope of his forehead lengthened. "Don't leave him." it growled and Brendon scrambled upwards as the world darkened around him._ **

**_*O*_ **

Brendon gasped awake, fingers clutching the cool material of his sheets, as he fought against the urge to slip back into the memory of Ryan's full moon.

"Hey, Brendon calm down." a familiar voice soothed and Brendon stilled when he glanced up into Ryan’s concerned face, so ordinary and human, nothing like the Ryan he'd seen locked away in the little shed.

Brendon scrambled upwards as Ryan pulled back obviously about to leave. Grabbing Ryan's shirt Brendon buried his face in the other man's chest as he tried to slow his breathing to something that didn't make it sound like he was having a heart attack.

"You're ok," Brendon breathed as he trembled, Ryan's fingers brushing against his neck before trailing down to his back but all Brendon could think about was how Ryan was here and ok and not in pain because he was apparently fighting some hidden part of him. He didn't want to remember the way Not-Brendon had looked at him like he was the reason why Ryan was suffering, not when he had been the reason.

"You saw a bad one didn’t you?" Ryan queried softly and Brendon nodded without moving his head from Ryan's chest. His forehead knocking against the guitarist's chest but Brendon didn't want to move, he wanted to stay here where he could smell and feel Ryan, where he could hear the beat of Ryan's heart and hold him and pretend that all the stupidity before hadn't happened.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Ryan asked 

Brendon shook his head furiously before sighing and nodding once. "I saw the shed."

Ryan's stiffened before chuckling softly "You don't make things easy for yourself do you?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Brendon protested "I followed that not-me into the shed and you were locked away in that cage and then you changed and he changed and he said you were hurting because you didn't want me to know! I could have handled it Ryan, I would have. Why didn't you tell me if it hurt you?"

"Brendon you're not thinking right." Ryan sighed "A few hours ago you couldn't stand me, a few days before that we were pretty much feuding. I get that the memories seem real and they change how you think but you can't really think it would've been better if I'd told you before. What would you have done honestly? I wasn't going to just bite you because my wolf thought you were the right person." Ryan sighed as he glanced away "I don't want anyone to go through what my dad did." he whispered "And you'd try to fix it because I know you. You'd probably try to get somebody else to bite you even though that's not how it works. I had to be certain ok? And that's what forced me over the edge and I.....I'm fucking sorry about what I did, how I treated you."

Brendon pulled back and glanced at Ryan. The other man's jaw was set even as he kept his eyes glued to the sheets.

"It doesn't make it all right, I know that but if you...just give me a chance and we can fix this." Ryan continued desperately, eyes darting up to meet Brendon's "I can fix this, show you how it's supposed to be. I don't...I can't be my mom, Brendon I don't want to hurt you anymore."

Brendon closed his eyes as Ryan fell silent. Reaching out slowly he let his fingers guide him as he touched Ryan's cheeks, pausing when he felt the wet marks against Ryan's skin but he forced himself to not look. He needed to be sure and looking at Ryan always clouded his better judgement.

"It's so stupid." Brendon whispered, bowing his head as his thumbs swiped the tears from Ryan's face. "I thought I'd join the band and be a big rock star and that'd make me happy. Well here I am a big fucking rock star but ask me Ryan Ross....just ask me if I'm happy."

Ryan pressed his lips together and glanced away as his wolf whined at the sorrow that was pouring off Brendon's skin. Exhaling slowly he blinked up at the ceiling as Brendon's fingers trailed across his skin. "A-are you." Ryan coughed to clear the lump from his throat before inhaling "Are you happy Brendon?"

"No." Brendon responded, voice soft in the quiet of the room. "But you know the worst part of it? Before when you were being your usually prickly self, when I didn't know if you'd compliment me or just tear everything I'd done apart? I was happy then...." Brendon choked out "Sad isn't it?"

"No!" Ryan protested, reaching up to clasp Brendon's hands in his own "You weren't being stupid, Brendon. I just fucked up, so bad because a part of me needed you more than I've ever needed anything before and another part of me hated you for that. Hated you for being you and making me want to give up everything and take a stupid risk to keep you with me. It was never your fault, Brendon." Ryan insisted.

Brendon glanced at him uncertainly and Ryan's heart raced at the disbelief and hope he could see mirrored in those familiar pools.

Dropping one of Brendon's hands, he reached out slowly brushing the tip of his fingers across Brendon's cheeks in an imitation of the singer's move. "You're...." he trailed off trying to find the right words "You're like music for me Brendon. Before you I was ok, I could string words together and make them rhyme, I could hold a beat and everything else that makes people think they're hearing something good but when I met you....my words soared, I didn't have to try anymore, everything was just there, for you Brendon. Every part of me, every song, it was all for you." 

Brendon gaped at him "Ryan..."

"No." Ryan said, stopping Brendon's words. "I just want you to think about it. No pressure no obligation, just think about it and tell me what you've decided." Dropping his hand from Brendon's face he stood slowly. "I've never said it before but I'm glad I met you Brendon Urie and no matter what you decide, you'll still be my music." Ryan whispered, smiling softly and Brendon bit his lip as he watched the guitarist leave the room, closing the door softly behind him. 

***O***

That night Brendon's dreams were filled with shattered moons, the glittering fragments dancing just out of reach and a cacophony of lonely howls that blended into the tune of Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me To The Moon". When he woke the pillow beneath his head was soaked with tears that he couldn't remember shedding but for the first time since Ryan had bitten him Brendon actually felt like himself. There was no strange not-him trying to pull him apart, there were no memories that he had to share without his consent and his head felt finally like he was the main one in it, even though he could feel a dark pressure at the back of his mind like somebody else was watching the world through his eyes.  
Yawning he slipped from his bunk following the sound of voices filtering in from the other room. Opening the door slowly Brendon paused to watch the others as they interacted.  
Gerard was curled around Frank on one sofa, his face buried in Frank's wild hair and Brendon could see his thumb stroking against Frank's neck. Mikey was on the floor leaning back between the Alpha's spread legs and now Brendon was thinking of people as Alphas and Betas there was clearly no hope for his sanity! Mikey's eyes were half lidded as Frank stroked his hair absentmindedly.

Pete was trying to rewrite something on Patrick's notepad, holding his pen above his head every time Patrick grabbed for it and ignoring the way the singer kept trying to bat his hands away from the paper whenever he went to add something new.

Spencer and Jon were sitting on another of the sofas, well Spencer was sitting and Jon was perfecting the art of the sitting slouch, with half of his body hanging over the arm of the sofa leaving a gapping space between him and the drummer and Brendon grinned when he caught sight of the remote in Jon's free hand. Jon Walker rarely did anything without reason and this was just a prime example, Spencer paused in his talk to Ryan when the TV screen flickered as the channels changed, aiming a glare at Jon before standing to change the channel back. On his way back he made sure to accidentally stomp on Jon's foot and Brendon had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing and giving himself away when Jon pouted.

Ryan was sitting by himself in the final chair, long limbs spread over the sofa like a particularly pretty starfish and Brendon's gut clenched as heat spread across his cheeks when his eyes dropped to Ryan's crotch. Drawing his attention away from Ryan's pants snake Brendon straightened up, exhaling slowly as he stepped into the room. He ignored the eyes he could feel burning into his skin as he stepped around Jon and Spencer, settling into the space beside Ryan, who had sat up as soon as he caught sight of Brendon.

"So....what're we doing today?" Brendon asked the room in general, leaning across Ryan's legs and grinning as he felt the tension bleed from the guitarist’s frame, as one of Ryan's hands curled around his waist to keep him steady.

“Since we're all mysteriously on break at the same time...." Patrick started eyeing Pete suspiciously but the other man's face was curiously blank as he examined his chipped nails intensely. "I was thinking that we could head back to the cabin. I mean the others have already left so it'd be just all of us here." Patrick shrugged.

"And it'd give you two the time to get your heads sorted." Pete added, rather unhelpfully Brendon observed as Ryan tensed again.

"Sounds good." he agreed quickly, as he covered Ryan's knee with his hand, stroking the rough material of the guitarist's jeans in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

"I'm in." Frank agreed, as he shifted his leg, rattling Gerard's sleeping form. Mikey slapped the jiggling leg in agitation when the move jostled him too.

"He was asleep, numb nuts." Mikey groused even as he resettled between Frank's legs, "And I don't think Gerard will care as long as there's food and running water."

"And books." Gerard muttered sleepily.

Patrick snorted in amusement "Ok. Jon, Spencer, what do you guys think?"

"I'm down. I mean the whole werewolf thing is new and all but how many guys can say hey I'm in a band with a legitimate mythical creature?" Jon grinned dopily as Spencer nodded.  
Brendon bit his lip, tilting his head to the side so that he could catch Ryan's eye.

Ryan watched him silently for a minute before smiling softly "Balls in your court." he whispered and Brendon grinned before turning to face Patrick again. "We're in."

The others left the room in ones and twos and Brendon was sad to say that none of them had a promising acting career in their future. He'd seen better innocent looks on his own face and he'd been aiming for devious, so the less said about the suddenly important appointments, that they'd all remembered at the same time, the better.

"Can't say this seems like a set up at all." Ryan muttered.

"I'm kind of shocked that Pete didn't try to lock us in." Brendon admitted with a shrug. 

"You haven't checked the door yet." Ryan pointed out and Brendon turned to stare at him before shooting the door a suspicious look.

Shifting backwards so that he didn't slip off the seat, Brendon froze when that placed his elbow uncomfortably close to Ryan's crotch. Stilling he shuffled away from that particularly dangerous territory.

"So...." Ryan started.

"Did you ever see your mom again?" Brendon blurted out, eyes widening as his brain caught up with his mouth. Struggling upwards he froze when Ryan's long fingers curled around his shoulder, pushing down with enough force to keep him pinned without hurting him.

"You can ask." Ryan sighed "You've got more right to ask than anybody else at this point." he explained, voice sad but not the distant one that Brendon had come to associate with an angry Ryan Ross.

"I'm not..." Brendon protested. "This isn't some sort of payback!"

"I know Brendon." Ryan chuckled "I'd expect it from anybody else but not you."

Brendon mulled the words over before nodding. "So...."

Ryan sighed as he shifted on the seat stretching his legs out so that half of Brendon's body was pressed against his as he stroked the singer's hair. "Marnie met my Dad when they were pretty young, twenty or something like that. She made a stupid mistake and he suffered for it but you know all that already." Ryan whispered "I've seen her twice since she left, once after our first gig and another time when I visited dad."

Brendon shifted, turning so he could see Ryan's face "But I thought you said he wasn't her beta. Why would she go back?"

Ryan shrugged "Maybe she's masochistic," he chuckled bitterly "It was hard for a while until I had him sent to a clinic for others like him but while he was there he met Andria, tiniest Alpha I've ever seen but with such a kick ass personality that nobody questioned it when she claimed Dad." 

"He found the right one?" Brendon gasped as he remembered the broken look on George's face as he begged Marnie to stay, to give him another chance.

"Yeah and this time I made sure that she was the right one." Ryan grinned, eyes distant as if he was looking at something that Brendon couldn't see.

"I know he's never met me and technically I've never met him either but, do you think I could....I mean if this thing works out." Brendon asked

"I think he'd love to meet you." Ryan answered "And thank you."

Brendon frowned "For what?"

Ryan grinned and shook his head "For being you."

Brendon glanced at him suspiciously but the look on Ryan's face seemed genuine so he turned back to the TV, letting the feel of Ryan's fingers in his hair lull him back to sleep. 

***O***

Ryan stared at Brendon as the younger man's breathing slowed. He couldn't believe he'd almost ruined this, almost lost the right to hold Brendon like this...to hold Brendon at all.

"Sometimes I wonder if you realize how lucky you are."

Ryan's head shot up at the words, his eyes meeting Patrick's as the singer lounged in the doorway, but the other man wasn't looking at him instead Patrick's eyes were glued to Brendon's sleeping frame.

"The first time I met Brendon and heard what his parents said to him when he told them he was leaving, all I could think was how. How do you look at someone like this, how can you know someone like Brendon and not want to keep him forever."

Ryan winced as Patrick's tone went cold.

"Then I met you and for a while I hate your guts, no matter how many times Pete tried to explain it to me. I just couldn't get how you could constantly push him away like that when it was so obvious that he loved you and even more obvious how much you needed him."

Ryan opened his mouth but the look Patrick shot his way had him swallowing his words.

"I told him the truth but at no point did I tell him to go to you, Ross and that's because if you ever hurt him, if you even think of making him look the way he did when I got here, I'll be the one telling him exactly how to break the bond you're trying to form. Do we understand each other?"

Ryan's wolf wanted to bare its teeth at this beta that thought he could tell him what to do but the human part of Ryan the part that had made the decision that had hurt Brendon in the first place agreed wholeheartedly with Patrick's words.

"I never wanted to hurt him." Ryan whispered "You know I did this because I thought it was the right thing to do. I tried..."

"Then this time try fucking harder!" Patrick snarled as his eyes bled black, making the shadows cast by the brim of his cap even more conspicuous. "Brendon is pack and if you fuck that up Pete's not going to be the only one you have to answer to!"

Ryan nodded in understanding as his fingers sifted through Brendon's hair "I get it, ok?"

"Good." Patrick smiled turning and leaving without another word.

Ryan stared at the door for a moment before smiling softly, and some idiots actually thought that alphas were the top of the pack hierarchy. 

Not when the bond was made right. 

Betas were the ones who really ruled with an iron fist and Ryan was going to have to make it up to his if he didn't want three pissed off betas on his tail. 

***O***

Brendon knew that everyone else knew how much he loved road trips. It wasn't like he tried to hide the fact from anyone because after growing up in a close minded community like he had, the thought of just driving away from it all still made his blood sing even years after he'd left those people behind.

Sprawling on the coach Brendon pillowed his head in his arms as the motion of the bus and the sound from the TV let him drift off, not quite asleep but not exactly aware of his surroundings either.

The talk with Ryan had improved his mood a lot and while he knew there was no way he was going to just forgive Ryan for what he'd done, the fact that he'd seen just how much keeping his secret from Brendon had hurt the guitarist had helped cool the anger that had raged through his mind when Ryan had bitten him.

Stretching Brendon wrinkled his nose as yet another strange scent tickled his nose. He hadn't thought of what the bite meant for his life yet because even with the dreams and the other guys' show and tell it just didn't seem real to him and he wasn't about to force himself to accept the truth yet, not when they had two weeks free and he was on an awesome road trip. No, Brendon was going to enjoy himself if it was the last thing he did!

The coach sank and Brendon almost purred as Ryan's familiar scent washed over him and ok, maybe he'd accepted parts of this werewolf thing because knowing who was around you without even looking was a kickass power! Then again dogs did it all the time so did it really count as a power? The thought made Brendon frown and he stilled when he felt Ryan's cold fingers stroking lightly over his temples.

Opening his eyes Brendon met Ryan's questioning gaze. The taller man held up his hand wriggling his fingers.

"I thought you had a headache." Ryan explained voice soft and lilting and Brendon was the biggest sucker because every time Ryan spoke it made him want to forget everything the other man had done and just rub himself all over him until he smelt like that woodsy cologne that Ryan always wore.

"I don't wear cologne." Ryan responded and Brendon's eyes widened in horror "You were thinking out loud." Ryan assured him and Brendon settled back with a huff and a suspicious look aimed at the alpha. For all he knew werewolves could read minds and Ryan was just trying to keep it from him...come to think of it reading minds would be an awesome power too and dogs definitely didn't do that. 

"It's not a headache." Brendon finally responded as he remembered what Ryan had said "I'm just really not used to smelling everything."

Ryan nodded in understanding "You'll get used to it soon." he said as he shifted picking up a bowl that Brendon hadn't seen him put down. The scent of strawberry wafted through the air and Brendon glanced curiously at the bowl.

"It's ice cream." Ryan told him as he caught the direction that Brendon was looking in "Spencer stopped for supplies and I thought...you haven't had sugar in a while so..."

"You got me ice cream?" Brendon whispered, sitting up so that he could accept the bowl from Ryan "Does Spencer know that you got me ice cream?" he frowned but Ryan just smirked.

"Technically I got myself ice cream, you just happened to be here and I happened to feel like sharing."

Brendon scooped a dollop onto the spoon that was resting in the bowl, humming in pleasure as the taste of strawberry and vanilla exploded across his tongue. "If this is your way of saying sorry, Ryan Ross you might just be onto something." he grinned and Ryan chuckled softly as he turned to the still running TV.

***O***

"A part of me actually wants you to go back to the hardly talking to each other thing, at least then I didn't constantly want to puke." Spencer muttered as he trudged into the room.  
Brendon raised his head from where he'd been nuzzling Ryan's neck, blinking sleepily as he watched Spencer cross the room with a cup of coffee cradled in his hands. "I wasn't doing anything Spencer Smith!" he protested pouting until Ryan's long finger started petting his hair.

"He really isn't, Spence." Ryan said and Brendon almost purred at the rumble of the taller man's voice against his ear. "He's just trying to imprint my scent."

"No I'm not," Brendon protested weakly, because that sounded totally kinky and it wasn't like he went around sniffing Ryan, no matter what Frank said. Plus he didn’t have a leg to stand on, Brendon had seen him walking around with Gerard’s shirt glued to his nose!

Spencer hummed in disbelief before taking a sip of his coffee "So who's taking over from Jon then?"

"I want to drive." Brendon frowned "I never get to drive."

"That's because the last time you drove we ended up lost." Ryan reminded him 

"We weren't lost; I did exactly what the little voice told me to!" Brendon shot back.

"Yeah after you reprogrammed our destination," Spencer snorted "You're not driving Brendon."

"But all Jon's doing is following the other bus! I could follow the other bus easily and that way if we get lost it’s totally they're fault!" Brendon suggested, shooting his best puppy dog eyes at Spencer but like the hard hearted bastard that he was Spencer just scoffed and turned away.

Brendon sighed in disappointment before perking up "Ryan could be my co-driver!" he suggested and Spencer narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Brendon hadn't missed the way that someone seemed to always be in whatever room he and Ryan happened to be present in together and he knew that the guys were just being protective but Ryan had seemed a lot more Ryan like since everything had been put out in the open, that wasn't to say that Ryan wasn't still a whiny bitch at times but Brendon was used to that and he really wanted to know what this new Ryan would be like if they could actually get a few moments to themselves.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Ryan asked, frowning and Brendon shook his head, snorting at the strange scent rising of the alpha's skin. Ryan smelt like the woods after the rain and Brendon just wanted to bury his face in the place where the scent was strongest, it was just his luck that that place seemed to be somewhere beneath Ryan's belt and he doubted that Spencer would be appreciative of his new found curiosity of smells if started nuzzling Ryan's crotch.

"Of course, I mean we're not going to be doing anything right? I'll be driving, you'll be making sure I'm going the right way and Spencer and Jon can check up on us to make sure we haven't offed each other." Brendon grinned, shifting uncertainly as Ryan eyed him.

"More like see if you've decided to fuck each other in the driver's seat." Spencer muttered as he glanced at them. Brendon flushed and dropped his eyes as Ryan cleared his throat and glanced away. 

***O***

Brendon bounced excitedly as he settled into the driver's seat, ignoring the less than amused look that Spencer shot both him and Ryan before retreating from the small room. Not even Spencer Smith could make this bad for him! He was going to be driving the bus on his own for the first time in three years and yeah he had Ryan there with him but everyone knew that Ryan found it impossible to stay awake for long drives and that's why he usually got the shortest driving times unlike Brendon, who's driving time up until now had been virtually non-existent. But that was in the past, right now it was Brendon's hands on the wheel, his feet on the pedal and as far as he was concerned for the next however many miles he was captain of this ship....bus, whatever.

A few miles into the journey Brendon was asking himself why he'd thought this driving gig was going to be so much fun. So far all he'd done was follow the FOB bus and it must have been Patrick's driving because there wasn't even any exciting speed racing going on.

"You ok over there?" Ryan asked and Brendon glanced across just in time to watch the guitarist put his book down.

Brendon shrugged in answer and Ryan chuckled softly, the sound made the hair on Brendon's nape stand and his hands were suddenly slippery where they gripped the wheel and Brendon tightened his fingers just in case.

"I did warn you that driving was boring." Ryan grinned, leaning against the window so that he could watch Brendon's face and almost on cue the singer's full lips pulled into a pout.

"It's no fun when you know where you're going." Brendon shot back. 

"I can guess that it'll be even less fun if Spencer decides to murder you because you've gotten us lost again." Ryan said

Brendon's eyes slid to Ryan's face before flickering away as a light flush lit across his cheeks "But you wouldn't let Spencer get away with it would you?"

Ryan stilled, for all of Brendon's seeming comfort around him this was the first time the singer had tried to blatantly flirt and the wolf stirred to life beneath Ryan's skin. "Yeah you're too pretty to get rid of." he teased and Brendon snorted before laughing, shoulders shaking hard enough to send the bus swerving.

"What are you two idiots doing in there?!" Spencer yelled as he stormed into the driver's compartment.

Brendon giggled as he tried to keep the bus steady leaving Ryan in the direct path of the drummer's wrath.

"Nothing, Spence, I swear." he finally choked out.

Spencer shot him a disbelieving look but left them to it.

"I thought he was going to ground us!" Brendon spluttered when he finally got his breathing back under control.

"Spencer's a pushover." Ryan shrugged.

"Yeah if you're the Incredible Hulk," Brendon retorted, raising a hand to push a stray lock of his hair out of his face "For the rest of us mere mortals Spencer Smith is a man to be feared." 

Ryan nodded in understanding because Spencer did have his moments when he was absolutely terrifying. 

Up ahead of them the other bus was indicating and Brendon followed them as it pulled into the parking lot of a small diner.

Parking beside them Brendon turned to find Ryan staring at him, "What, do I have something on my face?" he inquired, rubbing at his cheeks.

Ryan shook his head before smiling "No, I just...you do know I was serious right?"

"About what Spencer not being scary because I have proof that says otherwise." 

"No, not that." Ryan said as he cocked his head, eyes roving over Brendon's skin in a way that made the singer feel like he was the last lettuce leaf at a vegetarian buffet. "You're gorgeous Brendon and I know you've probably heard it a hundred times over but..."

Brendon blinked "I uhmm, thanks?"

Ryan chuckled as he rose to his feet, holding out a hand to the other man "I should be the one thanking you."

Brendon swallowed _hard_ as he took the proffered hand, biting his lips when Ryan's thumb stroked his knuckles as he effortlessly pulled Brendon to his feet.

Brendon's skin felt hot and tight as the presence at the back of his mind shifted, stretching like it was preening under Ryan's attention and the scent pouring of the guitarist made Brendon want to crawl into the other man's skin.

Ryan's free hand rose to Brendon's cheek, long fingers cupping his chin and tilting his head upwards as Ryan's dark eyes watched him and Brendon knew that all he needed to do was say the word and Ryan would back off...but he really didn't want that to happen so he held still as Ryan took a step closer, pressing their bodies together and bending slightly, lips brushing at the corner of Brendon's before pressing a small kiss to the tip of Brendon's nose and for some reason that had Brendon melting into Ryan's body, fingers clutching the back of the other man's shirt as he pushed himself up unto his toes.

A growl rumbled from the back of Ryan's throat as his hand dropped from Brendon's, gripping the singer’s waist, he caught Brendon's lips with his own, humming in appreciation when Brendon opened up for him.

The taste of the beta had Ryan's wolf surging to the fore of his mind as Brendon whined against his lips, the sound so canine and wanting that Ryan almost allowed himself to drag them both to the floor and just take what he wanted but this was not the time not after what he'd done to Brendon before. No this was supposed to be a courtship and Ryan was going to make sure that Brendon knew exactly what he felt for him so that this time there would be no misunderstandings.

Pulling back Ryan exhaled slowly as Brendon blinked up at him through dazed eyes. The singer's lips were swollen and Ryan could smell traces of himself on Brendon's skin now and it made his wolf preen with pleasure.

"That was..." He started, the words freezing in his throat as Brendon smiled.

"Yeah." The singer breathed before ducking his head 

"We should probably get out there before Mikey decides to come in here." Ryan suggested and Brendon nodded as he reached out and curled his fingers in Ryan's belt loop and for some reason the simple move had Ryan's heart swelling as he led the younger man out of the small compartment. 

***O***

Pete shot them a knowing look when they finally found the group huddled around a table at the far end of the diner. "I'd ask if you were getting some, Baby Alpha but I'm a gentleman." he leered and Ryan glared at him as Brendon flushed.

"I'd put my foot down your throat but I'm even more of a gentleman," he shot back and Patrick snorted, elbowing Pete in the side when it looked like the other man was about to retort.

"Since you're here we can finally order," 

Brendon perked up at that and Ryan hid his grin when Spencer glared at the two of them. "Don't even think of getting anything that's loaded with sugar." the drummer warned Brendon, ignoring the singer’s pout.

"Technically with our metabolism he'd burn it off before it could do any damage." Gerard offered op from where he was sandwiched between Mikey and Frank.

"Don't give him ideas!" Spencer hissed, eyes narrowed and this time Ryan did laugh because it was amusing to see a whole table of wolf's shrinking away from one of the only humans there.

"See what I mean." Brendon whispered "Spencer's terrifying."

"I heard that!" 

"And has the ears of a bat." Brendon added, widening his eyes innocently when Spencer rounded on him.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm going to start gnawing on the table leg unless somebody orders something." Jon drawled, the words muffled in his arms where he'd hidden his head.

"Are you ok, Jon?" Brendon inquired, ruffling the man's hair and Ryan had to clench his fingers to resist the urge to drag Brendon away from their band mate even though he knew that Jon was in a relationship and Brendon would never do something as blatant as flirting with someone else right in front of his face....they had an agreement after all, Ryan was sure of it. That kiss back on the bus said Brendon was just as interested as he was.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he'd missed the whole conversation between Jon and Brendon until the singer leaned back against his side. 

"I do not drive like a madman!" Brendon protested, glaring at Jon.

"Ok not like a madman like a blind one." Jon muttered waving off Brendon's spluttering "I told Spencer not to leave the two of you alone in there, if we'd gotten pulled over for public indecency..."

"We are no longer friends, Jon Walker!" Brendon yelled, cutting the other man off and glaring as the rest of the table burst into laughter. "We weren't doing anything like that were we?" he frowned turning to Ryan.

"Ignore them, Brendon, being a pervert comes naturally to some people." Ryan sighed, scanning the menu and ignoring the crude comments from the others.

"So tell us Ryan, why do you two look like you've been making out?" Pete asked, dark eyes glittering mischievously.

"None of your business, Wentz." Ryan retorted while Brendon glared at Pete.

"Ryan and Brendon sitting in a tree...” Frank sang under his breath, ignoring the look Ryan shot his way. "F-U-C-K-I..."

"Oh look the waitress, walking towards our table, so why don't we all shut up!" Brendon hissed from the corner of his mouth as the others snickered.

Their waitress was a small blonde with a lopsided grin and a nametag that claimed her name was Sally. She glanced around the table and Brendon tensed when her eyes lit up in recognition but thankfully she just pulled her pen from her hair not once commenting on their status. "Can I take your order?"

A few minutes later the waitress wandered off and Brendon turned to find the entire table staring at him and Ryan. "What?" he frowned.

 

"So, you two have been really chummy." Patrick started and Brendon shot him a betrayed look.

"Et tu Brutus?"

Frank slammed his head against the table, rattling the plastic flowers that were already precariously balanced in their vase. "It's too early for intelligent speak, tell them G."

Gerard just hummed, one hand rising to tangle in Frank's messy hair without once taking his eye from the book he'd taken from, somewhere....Brendon preferred not to think about Gerard's habits, they either gave him a headache or made him even more certain that MCR was really a cover for the redhead's world domination plans, he still wasn't certain whether or not Mikey was in on the whole thing. 

"No, no enquiring minds wish to know." Pete grinned 

"Nosy minds wish to know what?" Ryan asked and Brendon could almost see the moment when Ryan realized what he'd set himself up for but before anyone could comment a waitress, this one was apparently a Carla though she didn't look much like a Carla to Brendon, bustled over pushing a small trolley before her and started distributing their meals.

When everything was on the table Carla stood glancing from them to a table at the far end of the room where three men were seated.

"Uhmm I don't mean to interrupt." she said and Brendon almost didn't hear her but Ryan obviously had because his head snapped around as he sniffed the air. "The alphas wish to know whether you are willing to allow them access to any beta for testing." she whispered, quailing under Ryan's sharp eyed gaze and Brendon was just about to nudge the other man when he realized that Frank and Pete were also watching the girl.

"Tell them that any and all betas here are claimed." Ryan answered and the odd tone under his voice made Brendon's hairs stand on end and Carla flinched like she'd been struck before scurrying away pushing her trolley straight to the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Jon asked.

"The idiots down there were obviously too lazy to actually sniff out whether you were all claimed or not." Pete yawned.

"But she said they're alphas don't they know?" Brendon frowned "I mean I can smell Ryan on me...."

Pete snickered 

"Not like that!" Brendon spluttered, chucking his napkin at the other man's head as Ryan chuckled softly.

"Sometimes packs travel with displaced betas, the ones that either got bitten by the wrong alpha or who's alpha has died, they obviously thought that's what we were." Mikey shrugged and Brendon gaped.

"Mikey, you said words and they weren't cruel."

Mikey's eyes narrowed "Consider it my miracle for the day, this shit isn't going to be happening regularly." he snarked.

Brendon snorted as he took a bite of his pancakes, watching curiously as the three men rose and left the diner. "It's kind of cruel isn't it?"

"What?" Ryan asked, sipping at his coffee.

"You know the way that they can't be sure until they meet the person whether or not they're the right one." 

Patrick glanced at Brendon with a sad smile "Just because there are fairy-tale creatures around doesn't mean that we're actually living a fairy-tale."

“What I don’t get is why they sent the waitress; I mean it must have seemed like a strange thing for her to ask a customer.” Jon frowned

“It’s a were run business, she’s probably used to it.” Pete answered, eyes glued to the single bacon lying on Patrick’s plate until the singer shoved it towards him “Dude, this is why I love you.” He grinned, shoving the bacon strip into his mouth.

“And here I thought it was the regular sex.” Patrick quipped, smirking when Pete choked. 

Brendon glanced around the table, watching as the others quibbled between themselves and grinned, this was what he’d wanted in the beginning and now he had it.

Ryan nudged him “What are you grinning about?”

“Nothing,” Brendon smiled “I’m just happy, you know?”

Ryan nodded, eyes never leaving Brendon’s face “Yeah, me too.”

***O***

Leaning against the side of the bus, beside Jon, Brendon took a drag from his cigarette, watching the smoke curl as he exhaled slowly. The scents and taste of the once familiar habit were so different now that every one of them stood out as brightly as neon lights on a moonless night.

“So you and Ryan…” Jon started and Brendon tilted his head, smiling at the other man.

“It’s pretty damn strange,” he admitted with a shrug “I mean usually when Ryan and I fight it’s like end of the world stuff and this time it was pretty much galaxy ending, right? But for some reason I’m honestly ok with the whole thing.”

Jon nodded “You did seem pretty Zen, back there.”

“It’s the coolest thing ever, Jon.” Brendon grinned, taking another drag and letting the smoke curl from his nostrils “Just doing that is like the best thing since a sugar rush. Everything is just so much more.”

Jon grinned, resting his head against the bus “As long as you’re happy, Brendon.”

***O***

As soon as the Panic bus stopped in front of the cabin, Brendon was out the door, clinging to the closest tree as his legs shook and his stomach heaved.

“Whose bright fucking idea was it, to let Pete and Frank drive at the same time!” Mikey growled, slamming the door of the FOB bus.

Brendon shook his head, then decided that he really shouldn’t have done that since his stomach took it as encouragement to rebel against him and he gagged, forcing himself to breath through his mouth to prevent the puke fest that was just waiting to happen.

Cool fingers wrapped around the back of his neck and Brendon frowned at Ryan’s converses.

“You going to be ok?” The guitarist asked, tone soft and Brendon gave him a thumbs up then turned it down, slapping a hand across his mouth as his stomach tried to escape via his mouth.

He could hear the others moving around but he couldn’t make himself look up even when someone shoved a mint in his face. Ryan grabbed the thing unwrapping it and holding out for him and Brendon gladly took it, the cool flavour washing over his taste buds and helping his stomach settle as Ryan tilted him upright so that Brendon’s back was pressed against his chest.

“I’m pretty sure you’re not the worst driver anymore.” Ryan whispered conspiratorially and Brendon huffed a laugh around his sweet as the guitarist slowly manoeuvred them towards the cabin. 

Brendon made a beeline for the bedroom as soon as he was sure his legs weren’t going to dump him on ass, glaring at Pete as he passed but the other man just grinned at him like he hadn’t just shaved about twenty years off Brendon’s life, he probably had grey hairs because Peter Fucking Wentz decided that racing to the cabin was a good idea despite the fact that they were in a tour bus not a Ferrari!

Dropping onto the bed Brendon sighed, rubbing hiss nose against the clean and more importantly non-moving surface, if he never got into anything that Pete was behind the wheels of it would be too soon.

A minute later the bed dipped and Brendon glanced across just in time to see Ryan lift drop his other bags on the floor before moving to put them away.

“Thanks, Ry Ro.” Brendon whispered, the other man just glanced at him over his shoulder with a small smile.

“No problem, you just get some rest.”

Brendon hummed, settling back against the sheets to watch as Ryan moved around the room but at some point he drifted off. 

***O***

It was official, Brendon was in hell. It was a nice hell, it was a hell that had leather couches and sugar and a mythical creatures club, which he was now part of, but it was still hell and Ryan Ross was the devil, well maybe not the devil but a devil.

Ryan glanced at him with a small smile from across the table and Brendon glared because there was nothing funny about this, there was nothing funny about the fact that every morning for the past four days he’d woken up to every inch of their room smelling of Ryan. There was certainly nothing funny about the way that the presence in the back of his mind seemed to bloom, like a particularly masochistic flower, every time Ryan was close. And there was definitely nothing funny about the case of blue balls he had to suffer with every time Ryan got a bit touchy feely before deciding that Brendon was apparently a maiden from some trashy romance book and he had to back off before he got sent to the gallows for sullying Brendon’s innocence! Because Brendon was really not that innocent, he’d seen porn, he’d seen lots of porn and the only thing that was going near any sharp object soon was going to be Ryan’s dick if he didn’t man the fuck up!

So clearly this meant one thing, Brendon needed a plan, a plan to get Ryan Ross into his pants or out of Ryan’s pants…just any pants-less state was fine, as long as it was him and Ryan, everybody else could keep their pants on as far as he was concerned.

So Brendon did the only thing he could do, when one needed a plan. 

Brendon went to Mikey Way. 

Mikey stared at him “Is this really how your brain works?”

Brendon shot him a betrayed look; he knew Ryan had been lying about the whole werewolf mind reading thing!

Mikey sighed “No, I didn’t read your mind, Brendon, you were thinking out loud, again.”

Brendon scoffed because Mikey wasn’t all that scary, he didn’t even have a white cat to stroke and everyone knew you needed to be stroking a white cat to be truly evil.

Mikey’s eyes narrowed “And exactly why are you stroking that white teddy bear?”

“It’s a cat!” Brendon pointed out

“That doesn’t exactly help matters.” Mikey shot back and Brendon sighed.

He was doomed.

Gerard smiled at them from the corner chair that he was curled in, “Maybe you should just talk to Ryan.” He offered up and Brendon’s eyes widened as he stared at him…..and stared. Eventually Gerard started getting very twitchy “Or maybe you shouldn’t just talk to him.” He whispered burying his head back in his ever present book “Ignore me.”

Brendon nodded and turned back to Mickey, who had been watching the two of them with an amused smirk. “So?” he prompted.

Mikey shrugged “So what?”

“How do I get into Ryan’s pants?” Brendon exclaimed, freezing and glancing around but thankfully no one seemed to be on their way back, so the plan would be fine as long as it got made at some point!

“You could always chain him to the bed while he’s asleep.”

“Consensually.” Gerard piped up and Mikey frowned

“It is consensual…kind of.”

Brendon rubbed a hand across his face and sighed “How do I make Ryan want to get into my pants?”

Mikey grinned deviously as Gerard sighed “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

And this was why Brendon found himself shorts-less with only one of Ryan’s shirts protecting him from the elements, so to speak.

It wasn’t that Brendon really trusted Mikey’s plan because as far as plans went walking around half-naked until Ryan noticed him was really basic seduction. No it wasn’t the plan at all, it was the way that the thing, that Brendon realized now was the wolf, in his head was all but purring at the fact that they were surrounded by Ryan’s scent, by their alpha’s  
scent and a sick and perverted part of Brendon was tempted to beat one off just so that the shirt would smell like him and Ryan. 

Lying on his back on the bed, Brendon stretched, fingers reaching for the headboard as his back arched and the smooth fabric of the shirt that was a bit long on Ryan but seemed to swim on Brendon’s shorter frame, rode up teasing the sensitive skin of his thighs as he moved.

It was a testament to his self-control that Brendon didn’t already have a hand on his cock which was more than interested in the proceedings, but Mikey had explained it in great detail. The first time Ryan and he had sex, and they were going to have sex if Brendon had to tie Ryan to the bed, it had to be on the alpha’s initiative. It was the only time that the wolf would be a true participant in the more intimate aspect of the bond and Ryan needed to be well centred so while Brendon could tease and cajole Ryan to the point of no return, it was up to the other man to take that final step.

Hearing the familiar footsteps approaching their door Brendon quickly spun over, grabbing the book he’d dropped by the bedside to complete his ruse and opening it just as the door opened.

Ryan hesitated in the doorway and Brendon his smile in the book, because he was fairly certain that Ryan could see straight up the shirt and the thought made heat surge down his spine as the guitarist sniffed the air.

Ryan took a small step into the room and Brendon glanced at him, schooling his face into a curious yet innocent expression, and Spencer said he couldn’t act! “You ok, Ryan?” he inquired nonchalantly as he fought the urge to fidget when Ryan’s eyes didn’t move from his ass.

“Uhm, I what?” Ryan chocked out and Brendon cocked his head.

“What are you staring at?”

“Is that my shirt?” Ryan asked, voice strangled as he shuffled closer.

“Yeah, it was way too hot you know and my stuff isn’t as…” Brendon trailed off, rubbing his fingers over the material “as silky as yours. You don’t mind do you?”

Ryan shook his head, blinking before turning on his heels and fleeing the room.

Brendon grinned, game, set and match, Mr. Ross.

***O***

Part of Brendon was a bit ashamed about what he was doing to Ryan, but the other part of him, the part that wanted to roll in Ryan’s scent and lie in the cool grass outside the cabin at night, that part was gleeful in a way that made Brendon feel like he was Two-Face. Maybe if he looked in the mirror and turned his head quickly enough he’d see not just Brendon Urie but Brendon Urie and whatever Ryan’s bite had forced into his body or was it awakened? Brendon still wasn’t completely certain about the wolf lore so he tried not to think about it much.

Ever since he’d started acting out Mikey’s plan Ryan seemed to have permanently acquired that deer in headlights look that made the thing in his head want to pounce on the taller man. It was funny watching Ryan try to be cunning about the way he tried to avoid being alone with Brendon because it wasn’t like everyone else hadn’t noticed….Pete had been leering again so Brendon was fairly certain that everyone knew, Pete Wentz was not good at keeping his mouth shut.

But Brendon’s latest idea required finesse, it required patience, it also required as many witnesses as he could get and Brendon wasn’t worried about anybody interfering on Ryan’s behalf because Patrick still had a chip on his shoulder about the whole “biting Brendon without his permission” and whenever Ryan seemed to be approaching the breaking point the singer had levelled his best blank stare at him and Ryan had retreated like a whipped puppy, no pun intended. Brendon figured that it’d take at least a couple more months  
before Ryan stopped trying to suck up to the beta.

So Brendon had waited until they were all gathered in the sitting room. Gerard and Mikey were sitting on the floor making notes in Gerard’s songbook while Frank sprawled across their legs. Pete was scribbling on Patrick’s arm with his pen and though Brendon was fairly sure that the singer was aware of Pete’s action Patrick seemed to be ignoring him in favour of the television.

Jon was standing in the doorway on the phone and Brendon could just about make out the tinny sound of another voice if he concentrated but all of his focus was on remaining relaxed as he slumped on the seat beside Ryan and Spencer. 

Glancing at the alpha from the corner of his eyes Brendon turned and frowned “What’s that?”

Ryan started turning away from Spencer to face him “What’s what?”

Shifting Brendon kept his expression placid as he climbed over Ryan’s legs to reach the imaginary object that was in the guitarist’s hair.

Ryan’s fingers clenched around his waist as Brendon leaned forward, pressing their bodies together as he rifled through the man’s hair. “Wait…I’ve almost”

“Brendon…” Ryan growled and yeah that was definitely a growl, suddenly the whole room seemed to have frozen and Brendon stilled as Ryan’s fingers slid to his ass. Ok, this was new but he could deal with this, maybe Ryan was getting a clue a very, very big clue….Brendon swallowed as Ryan shifted his hips up, making the singer very aware of the large bulge that was definitely not a phone in Ryan’s pocket.

Brendon’s wolf perked up and promptly rolled over and showed its stomach as Ryan pulled him closer, dark eyes meeting his and Brendon’s breath stuttered from his lungs as he was caught in the predatory gaze. He could hear the others moving around them but it wasn’t until the door slammed shut that Brendon realized that they’d left them alone.  
One of Ryan’s hands grasped his neck, long fingers coiling around his chin and Brendon swallowed hard as he stared into the other man’s pitch black eyes. The wolf’s need was singing through his blood and Brendon was helpless to resist as he tilted his head up and to the side baring the expanse of his neck to his alpha. Ryan made a pleased sound that rumbled from his chest into Brendon’s body, lighting every nerve and setting them throbbing as the guitarist ducked his head nuzzling Brendon’s throat and Brendon gasped as Ryan’s tongue lashed over the place where he had bitten him.

Biting his lips Brendon shifted his hips, rubbing his erection against Ryan’s stomach and he knew that the other man could smell his arousal just like he could smell Ryan’s, thick and musky in the room and any thoughts of a plan went out the window as the hand still on his ass urged him closer as Ryan shifted forwards.

Brendon squeezed his legs into the space between Ryan and the sofa, only to be upended as the man stood, holding him like he weighed less than a feather.

“Say no, Brendon.” Ryan whispered and Brendon frowned “If I start this I won’t be able to stop, you’ve got to tell me no now.”

The sound that escaped Brendon’s throat was definitely a whine as he locked his ankles at the small of Ryan’s back “If you think I’m saying no now you’re really an idiot, Ross.” He snarked and Ryan chuckled softly.

“I should’ve known I wasn’t going to get a beta that would actually listen to me.”

Brendon grinned at him, reaching down to tilt Ryan’s head so that he could press a kiss against the man’s lips. “Are you trying to say I’m not a going to make a good beta?”

Ryan opened his mouth to answer, groaning when Brendon swivelled his hips pressing their groins together through their clothes “You’re the only beta for me.” Ryan whispered and Brendon paused because the tone of his alpha’s voice clearly said that this wasn’t just some random statement. Ryan’s eyes were glued to his and Brendon could see the guilt hidden within the onyx depths.

“I know and I might not understand this completely and I know I’m not going to be the best wolf ever but I’ll try for you…and I don’t regret it, well maybe at first and that was because I thought you were high and plus that bite actually hurt and I could have done without seeing that crazy jiminy…..” Brendon’s rant trailed off as Ryan recaptured his lips with a small smile.

“So is that a yes?” Ryan asked, pulling back.

Brendon blinked, how was he supposed to think when Ryan was moving again and there was suddenly a bed right there….and wait, why were they stopping what was with the stopping? Brendon frowned at Ryan but the man was just staring at him expectantly… “Oh yeah, I’m officially team wolf now back to the kissing.” Brendon enthused, working out the problem.

Ryan chuckled as he complied and Brendon might never have expected this but he could sure as hell appreciate a good thing when it happened. And to think this had all started with him thinking Ryan hated his guts.


End file.
